In the foot hills of the Waitakere ranges sits a diverse area of Waitakere eco city, a mix of residential and industrial space that had, until recently, been forgotten about. Following the dedication of a number of local residents, however, this forgotten land is now flourishing as the people of Henderson South maintain a thriving community garden, as well as joining the Waitakere-wide Project Twin Streams.

Despite being part of Waitakere eco city you could still find, not long ago, some land in Henderson South which had been disregarded. Disregarded, that is, until a group of local people got together and said "Hey! This is our place! We may be in the bottom percentage of low wages, we may have high unemployment and low qualification rates, and we may not be too good at this thing called community participation – but we have heart and we do care."

So McLaren Park Community Project (MPCP) was formed. A fantastic youth initiative, the Young Believers Youth Group (YB), was started and is flourishing today. MPCP metamorphosed and turned into McLaren Park Henderson South (MPHS) Community Initiative, a community development organisation with its own logo and paid staff. Having a community garden was a key idea that local people wanted and never lost sight of, although had at that point not been able to bring to life.

Fortunately, three years later Green Jon joined the MPHS team as the Project Twin Streams Coordinator. Project Twin Streams is an exciting and ambitious project for Waitakere’s communities to restore and reclaim the city’s streams as the heart of their neighbourhoods. The project aims to improve the wellbeing of the local area through restoring natural systems, managing storm water and by replanting stream banks. Green Jon took notice of local voices calling for a community garden. He looked around at what other people had done in New Zealand and overseas. Together, he and local people designed and built an edible garden that reflects the local area and needs.

The garden has been developed so that local residents and community groups can adopt a plot and grow their own fruit and vegetables. At present the garden has 20 plots and a wide range of groups, such as Tagata Automotu (an alternative education group), and even tenants in a local flat have adopted sections.

The community garden is a practical solution to the advice we all receive to eat more fruit and vegetables to keep healthy. As Green Jon says:

"The aim is to teach and share the art of growing our own food. There are also plans to have an outdoor kitchen and regular feasts prepared by our people, grown by our people and enjoyed by everyone. The community garden project is based on sharing. Waitakere City Council has shared the land; the gardeners and elders will share knowledge and Mother Nature will share its resources."

For more information visit the MPHS website here.

Rochana Sheward, Manager for MPHS