Banff is a step closer to getting a third greenhouse – but it’s still at least a year away.
The Banff Greenhouse & Gardening Society made a pitch to Banff town council for $70,000 to be able to build another greenhouse at the recreation grounds in 2017 – but it’s been put on the capital books for 2018.
Bob Lutz, head of the society, said the existing two greenhouses do not meet the demand of avid gardeners who want plots.
“A greenhouse with 34 (planting) beds typically involves about 100 local residents taking care of plots over the course of about six or seven months down there,” he said.
“We would do a design similar to the current greenhouse where we cold host 34 beds, and again, typically we see approximately three users per bed on average.”
Banff currently has two greenhouses, one at the recreation grounds, constructed in 2011 with 34 beds, and the other built in 2013 on the Cascade Plaza’s rooftop parkade with 20 beds.
Since 2011, there have always been more interested gardeners than plots available, leading to a lottery system.
During council’s review of the level of municipal services, council initially approved the $70,000 contribution for another greenhouse in 2021, but Councillor Corrie DiManno later persuaded her council colleagues to put it on the capital books for 2018 instead.
That, however, doesn’t mean it’s going ahead for sure that year, because the next council can make any changes to Banff’s capital budget for 2018 and move projects around.
“We’re hearing all sorts of stories from different organizations around food and how much the cost of food is and how families are struggling,” said DiManno. “I see this as an investment to help with that problem.”
