To support this concept the Ratana Sports Club  managed to set aside Feeding our Futures Funding and Healthy Eating Healthy Action Funding. This site will be updated as information comes to hand.

This is the proposed site to establish a community outdoor garden and outside gym complete with picnic tables and murals . It is ideal because it is
1. Accessible to the public.
2. Centrally located behind Medical Centre and
  Community Gym and Kaumatua Flats.
3. Secluded and sheltered
4. Removes biggest barrier access to public land
  use for such a garden site to be estabished in
  commmunity.

The aim to have this completed in April 2012 which will coincide with a launch of the gardens and Community Gym.

Community gardens do not have to be huge tracks of land and can be made to ensure minimum effort by having raised planter boxes to grow a range of kai in small places. Having raised planter boxes also reduces effort and makes it more easier to manage.

Features that we want to have in this place are picnic tables and shade and with murals from our tamariki so that it becomes a place where people can come together, relax and have a coffee.

A range of rongoa trees and herbs could also provide a further learning opportunity for the community to learn to recognise and prepare traditional medicines.

We will be calling on the community to provide a range of voluntary support to put this together. Discussions so far have been positive.