Green light for greenhouse

A NEW $20,000 greenhouse will open all sorts of new avenues for a community garden tucked away in Barwon Heads.

Barwon Heads Community Arts Garden co-ordinator Ian Linley is overjoyed with how its newly completed greenhouse has turned out after years of paperwork and planning.

“We’re stoked it’s completed; it’s been a long-time project of ours,” Mr Linley said.

“It was actually part of a 2020-21 Community Infrastructure grant that we received for $10,700 from the City of Greater Geelong, a grant which we almost matched completely, but the entire group is overjoyed to see it finally operational.”

Mr Linley, Neil Lane and Carmel Smith, who recently passed away, were the three main proponents in managing the grant application.

The greenhouse will make a huge difference to plot holders by extending seasons and creating a larger seasonal window to begin growing produce.

“People growing tomatoes won’t have to wait until the end of winter as the new greenhouse will provide the warmth for them to grow,” Mr Linley said.

“The greenhouse will also allow us to grow different products that we wouldn’t normally, things like sweet potato and flowers for instance, it just provides the group a chance to try new things as well that we can possibly sell.”

Fellow member and committee member Michael Righetti said completing the greenhouse was a tremendous step forward for the garden.

“It will be an asset that everyone will use so well, and it will open up a range of opportunities for garden members, but also the community too,” Mr Righetti said.

The garden did not apply for any of the city’s grants from the 2021-22 round, but it will look at applying for minor funding in the 2022-23 rounds to address areas that need improving.

“We don’t have enough beds, so we will look to expand the garden in size, we have had some vandalism recently so the installation of a security system is something we will look into, and equipment storage is a big thing for us as well,” Mr Linley said.

People only need a “Friends of the Garden” membership to get access to the garden and the new greenhouse for just $15 per year.

A plotholder or full membership will set members back $80 annually for a full plot and $40 for a half plot.

For more information about the garden, located at 38 Geelong Road, Barwon Heads, head to bhcommunityartsgarden.com