Bonar Bridge community garden plan funding green light awaited
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An unused area in the middle of Bonar Bridge could be turned into a community garden, it is hoped.
The Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust (KoSDT) is awaiting the outcome of a funding application to create a garden in the space between the village hall and post office building, which the group owns.
KoSDT has already sourced £10,000 from the National Lottery Together For Our Planet Fund and has applied for a further £38,000 from SSE’s Sustainable Development Fund.
The group expects to hear the outcome of the application in April.
KoSDT manager David Watson said: “The area is an old garden gone to seed and we currently cut it every year to keep it down. When we took over the post office, we felt we could probably put three housing units there, but there are services and sewers underneath. It has got really good access beside the bus stop and the community hall.”
Mr Watson said the vision was to create a working garden with raised beds and a polytunnel.
“We are going to put in some benches but it is not going to be a garden where people can go and sit,” he said.
“We want to grow fruit and vegetables for the community food larder and also for the Community Food Stop Café, which operates in the village hall and is set to open again in March.
“We could be lifting vegetables out of the garden in the morning and cooking them in the afternoon. We also hope to hold gardening and cooking lessons and give people the confidence to grow in their own gardens.”
If funding is granted, it is intended to employ a part-time gardener who would also be available to work in other community gardens, such as the polytunnel at Bonar Bridge Primary School.
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