Somerset West Village Garden
The Somerset West Village Garden broke ground in 2015 when a small group of Somerset West residents and passionate vegetable gardeners sought a way to assist the local street people with their extremely challenging circumstances. They came up with the idea of a community vegetable garden – that would offer access to employment, nutrition, ablutions and ultimately, opportunities to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society.
The proposed plot of land was Barlow Park, a derelict piece of ground that was under-utilised and used by vagrants as a squat, with the lack of ablution facilities creating a health hazard.
After receiving the proposal for the initiative, the City of Cape Town signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Somerset West Village Garden for the use of the land and water for a period of five years. Our immediate tasks were to fence off the area (sponsored by ECHO Erinvale) and install a flushing portaloo and shower with the help of the Department of Agriculture.
Within just four years, the garden has become an urban oasis, fully – and beautifully – established, despite the extraordinary challenge of water shortages due to the Cape’s worst drought in 100 years (not to mention the more ‘ordinary’ challenges of funding)
41 New Street, Somerset West
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