The sod was turned Tuesday to officially mark the start of construction on the Altona Community Gardens pavilion project.

The timber frame structure will be the centerpiece of the gardens and will be designed, in part, to create a sense of community among gardeners, according to Joel Martin, a project task force member.

"We wanted a place for our gardeners to come and meet, and where we could do workshops and presentations. There will be picnic tables in there so that people can come and gather and build community and maybe share projects and that kind of thing."

Martin says Equal Access Altona has also been involved in the project to assist in designing a pavilion structure that will provide access for people using wheelchairs and walkers and will feature some raised garden beds for people with limited mobility.

Mayor Al Friesen says he appreciates the concept that members of the task force are trying to create at the Gardens where people can grow food, share food and share each other's company.

"I think it's really good for our community. It's more than just about numbers, although they're still fundraising which is important, but the big thing is that it's a project that will pull the community together. We're all in need of that and I think this will be a great venue for that."

The pandemic and government health regulations over the past year made it challenging to raise the necessary funds to start the project, but Martin says support from the local community has been tremendous and has allowed them to move forward.

"It's very exciting. With COVID, we didn't know how the fundraising was going to work, but support from businesses, individuals and especially the town of Altona, which has been backing this garden since we started four years ago has been amazing."

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The pavilion project is estimated at $145,000 and the group has raised about $100,000 so far. Martin says they were encouraged to get the project moving despite being short of their fundraising goal.

"In talking with other people who have been involved with a project like this, they said 'just go ahead and start building and people will start giving."

Phases 1 and 2 of the project will include construction of the main building which will be built off-site by a local company and then assembled on the gardens site next spring. Hard-surfaced pathways will be installed to allow for wheelchair-accessible garden plots, and a park-like entrance west of and surrounding the pavilion will be constructed as well. Most of this work is expected to be finished in 2022.

Phases 3 and 4 involve constructing a pedestrian path and footbridge at the west entrance to fully connect the garden with the community and planting a community orchard immediately north of the garden with a planned completion date of 2024.

"I think it's going to be a gem in Altona. For such a small town, we have such beautiful infrastructure like the (Nature Park) pond, the sculpture garden and I think we're just going to add to all of that," says Martin.