Finally summer is here and it appears the wait was worth it, as we enjoy some long, warm, sunny days. As usual, Mole Hill is hopping with lots of activities and great events!

This spring, we saw the installation of community compost bins for Mole Hill tenants. After training with compost guru Spring Gillard, we are now well underway and have already filled one of the bins. Our project is considered to be an “onsite/onsite/onsite” system – the best for the environment as it doesn’t involve using any fossil fuels to truck the food scraps off the site or to have the good stuff brought back. We look forward to using the lovely earth in the spring for the many beds at Mole Hill. We would like to thank Vancity, Community Projects for making this activity possible!

We are happy to report that the nasty “plant poisoning” that was taking place at Mole Hill seems to have stopped. We are asking everyone at Mole Hill and in the community to keep an eye out and report any suspicious activity to the Mole Hill office or to the police. Posting signs throughout the property seems to have helped but we’re asking everyone to remain vigilant.

The Mole Hill Produce Box Club has taken off this year and I would like to thank Carellin Brooks for all of her efforts with getting this project going. The club is always looking for new members, so if you are interested in participating in this great opportunity for fresh veggies email Carellin at carelllinb@hotmail.com

Congratulations to Katherine Barkley and Carellin Brooks for being the successful recipients of Neighbourhood Small Grants from Gordon Neighbourhood House and the Vancouver Foundation. Katherine Barkley will be organizing a “Community Gardeners Ten Year Anniversary Celebration” on August 11th and Carellin Brooks, from The Mole Hill Produce Box Club received funding for a possible expansion to wholesale free-range and/or organic meats, direct-from-farm produce or other enhancements.

We will be painting 4 more houses this summer, giving the laundry room a makeover, painting the mail kiosks and repairing some of the porches. We are anxiously awaiting a property and systems assessment report from BC Housing that was conducted this spring, which will hopefully result in some additional funding for needed upgrades.

Thanks to our great Board of Directors and membership, we passed a new updated Constitution/Bylaws in May and we now have a Strategic Plan in place to direct us for the next several years. Watch for upcoming news about our Annual General Meeting to be held in September.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me at 604-681-2096 or email to mbeauchamp@mole-hill.ca

Thank you!

Margot Beauchamp, Executive Director