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Demonstration Garden Project ! OKANAGAN COLLEGE VERNON CAMPUS Demonstration Garden Project Okanagan College - Vernon Campus is embarking on a project to create an educational space to promote sustainable practices in an effort to preserve, stimulate and promote agricultural and ecological ventures in the Okanagan Valley. This is a Conceptual Design developed in partnership between Element Eco-Design and Okanagan College to explore the possibilities for a demonstration garden project. 2 Table of Contents Project Objectives 4 Site Overview 5 Water Design 6 Passive Water Harvesting 8 Access Design 9 Outdoor Classroom and Social Space 10 Greenhouse 12 Community Farm 14 College Garden Plots 18 Food Forest and Native Plant Gardens 20 Implementation Plan 22 Budget 24 Summary 26 3 PROJECT OBJECTIVES Okanagan College - Vernon Campus is embarking on a project to create an educational space to promote sustainable practices in an effort to preserve, stimulate and promote agricultural and ecological ventures in the Okanagan Valley. The Demonstration Garden Project will incorporates the principles of sustainable development where research, educational programming, and community participation can interact to advance the social, economic and environmental aspects of local sustainable agricultural and food systems practices and projects. Okanagan College will be able to use the site for new program offerings, research in sustainable development and agricultural/ ecological practicums. Faculty members will have a space to teach in an outdoor setting to demonstrate practical applications of theoretical material. Students will benefit from hands-on experience, onsite research and examples of industry best practices. Community members will have a place to gather, learn and benefit from the therapeutic experience of growing plants. 4 Okanagan College Demonstration Site SITE OVERVIEW The Demonstration Garden space is roughly 1.5 acres of gently rolling hillside. Site soils are well-drained sandy loams that are suitable for growing most agricultural crops. Laboratory analyses of site soil samples indicate potentially fertile conditions that will benefit from the addition of organic matter through sustainable soil management techniques. The site’s south facing slope receives generous sunlight and is climatically suitable to the widest range of crops but represents a challenge for efficient irrigation. It will be important select crops adapted to the site climate and soil conditions. A site map will be available to visitors to use as a learning tool as they tour the site. Other educational tools such as informational plaques and species labels will be located throughout the site. 5 Conceptual Design Details WATER several contour swales will be installed to collect excess water runoff, prevent erosion and pacify water flow on the Both passive and active watering features will be landscape. The water will be held evenly along the entire constructed to provide irrigation to crops in the most length (east-west) of the site to allow the water to infiltrate efficient manner possible. Onsite passive water harvesting into the ground. This will keep the soil moist for longer features include swales, curb cuts into rain gardens, wicking periods following rain events and help recharge ground beds and rain barrels. Active water features include a variety water sources. Excess water from the contour swales will be of irrigation systems custom tailored to each crop for sent into the perimeter swale through a simple overflow at efficient watering, including drip irrigation. each end of the contour swale. All swales will also serve as Bio-swales have already been installed along the perimeter main access ways around the site. of the site to direct excess storm water to the engineered Curb cuts in the south side of the parking lot will allow drainage system in the valley below the site. Additionally, storm water to be harvested and stored in rain gardens. The A contour swale is a Permaculture technique for passively harvesting rain and surface runoff. The swale works to distribute water evenly across the landscape, resulting in an efficient system that aids in both irrigating and drought proofing the landscape. 6 rain gardens will be constructed will be directed to the contour around existing trees to swale via French drains. supplement their irrigation and process storm water. Excess water Irrigation/drainage specialist will from the rain gardens will flow be consulted to ensure efficient over level-sill spillways to be design of crop watering and site caught by the highest contour drainage systems. An irrigation swale and directed appropriately main line has been constructed on across the landscape or into the the site and lateral lines will be perimeter swale. run to individual crops. Emitters best suited to each crop will be Rainwater represents a source of used to reduce water nitrogen for plants. Rain barrels consumption. Irrigation controls will be attached to all building can be used to optimize water use roofs downspouts on the site to depending on humidity levels, collect rainwater run-off. This current rainfall and soil moisture. water can be gravity fed into the Weather meters can be installed community garden for onsite and connected to irrigation supplemental watering to reduce controls to more accurately the use of irrigation water. distribute water to each specific Overflows from the rain barrels crop. 7 Conceptual Design Details PASSIVE WATER HARVESTING Rainwater runoff will be captured as high as possible in the landscape and stored in either rain barrels or the soil. The passive rainwater harvesting swales will spread the water out evenly across the landscape allowing rainwater to infiltrate into the soil, as opposed to running off. The land will retain moisture longer and creating an evenly hydrated landscape. These systems will be connected to each other via ‘level sill spillways’ so the excess in one portion is used further down the hill by the next feature creating a cascading effect that protects against both drought and flood conditions. 8 ACCESSIBILITY Site topography and accessibility were key components to the design of the site. The main site paths are either 4’ or 8‘ wide to accommodate wheelchairs, large groups or small machinery. Compacted crusher chip was chosen to keep the paths permeable for water harvesting while still maintaining a solid surface for accessibility. The community farm was located closest to the parking lot were the slope was minimal allowing optimal accessibility for community members. The community farm also contains raised beds that provide members with mobility concerns with a place to garden safely. Picnic tables and boulder seating are located throughout the site to provide members with a place to rest. 9 Conceptual Design Details OUTDOOR CLASSROOM & SOCIAL SPACE summer sun. A shed roof structure can be added to provide additional shelter for instructors. The northwest corner of the site can be transformed into a mixed teaching and social space for faculty, students and Tables with built-in chairs can be added to provide a space community users. A semi-circular seating space facing for users to enjoy lunch, work on projects or attend north will provide a space for instruction, presentations or lectures. This social space represents a multi-functional social gathering. Shade trees to the Southwest will provide space where college users and community members can erosion controls as well as afternoon relief from hot come together to share ideas and the space. 10 Adding a Social Space to the site will provide an outdoor area for students and instructors to mix with community members. This exchange works to build relationships and create belonging for community members, students and staff. 11 Conceptual Design Details GREENHOUSE attached to a 15’ x 60’ poly tunnel or project represents an opportunity to a 30’ x 60’ passive solar greenhouse provide hands-on experience for In the short term, a small-unheated is recommended. This building students to help design and build hoop house is recommended for would integrate many functions for this structure. starting crops and season extension. the site as well as provide an area The hoop house will be a 20’ x 30’ that would be passively heated. This greenhouse constructed out of 1” structure would also function as a conduit hoops attached to stakes four season building that could be driven into the ground. Dimensional used year round and integrated into lumber will frame in the ends of the both fall and winter curriculum. This structure and provide lateral support kind of structure represents between the hoops. A 12mm sustainable, innovative, integrated interwoven poly is recommended to building design that would serve as cover the structure. The interwoven an educational and community poly has a longer lifespan, is better meeting space. Successful working suited to harsh weather (snow and models are operational in British hail) and acts as a partial shade cloth Columbia including David in direct sunlight. Thompson Secondary School Solar Greenhouse. For a long-term solution for a storage shed, processing area, teaching area As the College currently has a and greenhouse; a 15’ x 60’ shed residential building program this 12 In the future a Passive Solar Greenhouse can be added to align the growing season with the education season. The rear of the greenhouse can be used to store supplies and as a wash house to clean produce before distribution. 13 Conceptual Design Details TOOL SHED COMPOST SYSTEM For tool storage for the community farm and students, a Basic compost bins will be located next to the greenhouse, 10’ x 13’ shed is proposed. This shed should be modular this central location encourages all users to take part in the design, non-permanent structure that can be moved as the composting process. The compost bays will be made up of need arises. To start with, a shed building donated by BC large concrete Lock-Blocks and will be durable and long- Housing will be used for tool storage.
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