The Petitcodiac Community Garden in New Brunswick has been growing vegetables to help support the community for the last four years. This year, the community garden wants to do more and help a larger number of people in the community.

The Petitcodiac Area Garden Club grows vegetables in a 30x100ft square that are donated to the local food bank, Support People of Today – SPOT. The community garden also donates to the two seniors complexes downtown and to the local churches.

The community garden grows staple foods that everybody is familiar with such as peas, beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, and beats, which are donated to the local food bank. In the past four years, the Community Garden has donated over 500 pounds of produce annually and is aiming to surpass this amount each season.

With a mission to help people who are in financial need by providing the basics of life, the Food Bank, SPOT is happy with the fresh produce they can hand over to the community. Next year, SPOT will celebrate 40 years in the community. The food bank serves 30 to 35 households a month, mainly singles and couples. Donations to the food bank have slightly declined due to rising costs, but the community still supports the food bank. SPOT also has a second-hand store that helps fund the food bank. Statistics Canada attributes the increase in costs to higher prices for fresh vegetables, meat, fruit, and non-alcoholic beverages.

The Petitcodiac Community Garden meets every Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Community members can rent a plot or raised bed for $10, refundable at the end of the season when the gate key is returned. The garden, along with the park and walking trails was inspired by the late mayor Gerry Gogan.