Our community consultation survey for Growing Pride, the Pride Centre’s rooftop terrace garden, recently closed. Thank you to the 78 people who took the time to respond and volunteer your thoughts and ideas.  

We also surveyed the staff of resident organisations who will be based at the Pride Centre and their additional 32 responses gives us a great idea of the community’s desires for the community garden and community capacity to support such an ambitious venture. The infrastructure needs and climatic challenges will be considerable given the rooftop location so we are grateful for the enthusiastic response!

The main themes running through people’s responses are that you are keen to have a space to, in the following order: sit with others, sit by yourselves and do activities in the garden. There was a very even response to what kind of garden people wanted – people wanted it all! Top ranking however was given to a garden that features plants Indigenous to St Kilda and a therapeutic garden that delights the senses.

Most respondents were keen to volunteer in some capacity – most in planting working bees and up keep of the garden but enough designer and construction folks too to definitely get the ball rolling. 

A site visit and workshop for the design volunteers will take place at the end of February and we hope to have a design by the end of March. No doubt fundraising will be a considerable part of making the community garden a success. 

Stay tuned to get those green fingers growing!