VACANT LOTS

Bowery Project works with developers to transform their vacant spaces into vibrant community hubs

TAS DESIGN BUILD @ WALMER RD CHURCH - 2022 - PRESENT

Bowery has continued our partnership with TAS at this incredible location in the heart of the annex. Our crates are occupying the front staircase and the side entry to the Walmer Road Baptist Church. We are growing food and offering weekly programming for the Native Canadian Centre. Marigold and Calendula flowers are donated weekly to Alexandra Park Seniors Group at the COmmunity Centre.

DREAM AND KILMER GROUP @ CANARY DISTRICT - 2019 - PRESENT

Canary District community residents desire to fill a vacant lot beside their condo with a purposeful green initiative had them searching “urban Farming” and “vacant lots” in Toronto. Bowery Project popped up and after meetings, community discussions and site visits along with most importantly, approval and funding from Dream and Kilmer Group, a 500 milk crate farm was installed at the massive vacant space at the corner of Front and Cherry Streets. Highlights include our 40+ volunteer build in the pouring rain, a beautiful mallard duck laying and hatching her eggs in a crate of sweet grass, bursting tobacco donated to Native Women’s Resource Centre and the incredible team of volunteers who initiated, maintained and harvested in abundance throughout the season. Stay tuned for our new location within the Canary District in 2021!

TAS design build @ 2 tecumseth street - 2018-2022

Our first season at 2 Tecumseth began in May of 2018 with a re-location of crates from Alexandra Park with an amazing crew of guys from the Screaming Eagles mens group and was put in place and planted by an incredible bunch from TAS. The 500 milk crate farm has created a welcoming green space amidst a lot which has been vacant since 2014 when Quality Meats had to shut down this slaughter house. The mini-milk crate farm is growing herbs and flowers and there are also three hives onsite making honey which are taken care of by Alveole.  The space is open to the community and all will be free to snip mint, thyme, parsley, rosemary, dill, sage and other fresh herbs to add to their home-cooked meals!  We have also been donating herbs to the Homes First shelter down the street. In the fall of 2020, we partnered with Wilder and planted over 400 native oak saplings to over-winter in our crates - in 2021 they will be reforesting our cityscape with them…

SIDEWALK LABS @ 307 LAKESHORE BOULEVARD EAST - 2018-2020

Bowery was thrilled to be a part of the Sidewalk TO headquarters.  The edible 'Learning Garden' provided a green, sustainable, experiential and delicious attraction at 307 Lake Shore, complimenting the site animated with building blocks, shipping containers with various food vendors, stage and bike stations.  Various herbs and pollinator flowers were used by Sidewalk staff and community, donated to nearby food banks and sold to local restaurants.  Bowery also installed Toronto's first mobile orchard - we grew several varieties of apple and pear trees which will move around as needed while Sidewalk adapts this site to its various events. Bowery complemented Sidewalk’s many engaging events with hands-on workshops. 

oben flats - 307 sherbourne st - 2016-2019

Our fourth season at Sherbourne and Gerrard will begin in May of 2019 . The 1500 milk crate farm has transformed this site which had been vacant for over two decades and is owned by the boutique developer Oben Flats . We have partnered with several community organizations offering weekly programming and educational workshops - Robertson House, Anishnawabe Health Toronto,  Native Women's Resource Centre (NWRC) and are always looking for more local groups to participate.  This site has also hosted countless school groups, hands-on CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) events, guided group visits for the Grey to Green Conference. The produce grown onsite is donated to the NWRC and sold to local chefs Brad Long of Cafe Belong in the Evergreen Brickworks and Adam Alguire from Cafe Can Can.

Evergreen Brick Works - 2015-PRESENT

A continuation of our #100in1Day installation, Bowery Project is recycling donated milk crates into a beautiful, bountiful and useful living fence.  Thanks to the generous crate donation from the Yonge Street Mission and to the incredible volunteers from Education First Educational Tours over 100 crates are still being used to grow organic produce that continues to be included in the children's programming.

Curated Properties & Windmill Developments @ The Plant - 2018

Furthering the intention for The Plant's 'green philosophy', where developers Curated and Windmill have partnered to make a sustainably built condo with a focus on 'terrace-to-table' living, Bowery installed a 500 milk crate farm at their on-site sales centre.  Engaging the development team for the installation, planting days, maintenance, harvesting and more, Bowery was thrilled to be providing such a meaningful and appropriate corporate social responsibility opportunity. Through literally getting their hands in the dirt, the experiential education provided through urban farming consciously connected the team both to the environment and to each other.  The food grown on-site was harvested and used by chefs for events at the sales centre and was also donated to a local food bank. 

bar Begonia - now Fet Zun - 2016-2019

Anthony Rose and his partner Rob Wilder from Rose and Sons Restaurant’s Bar Begonia (just revamped as Fet Zun) had space to spare and wanted the freshest herbs possible so they came to Bowery for a solution. 50 found crates growing herbs and edible flowers make a unique entrance - fun, colourful and spunky - just like Anthony and Rob.