News and event information for Williams Lake, BC - as it happens.

Approximately 40 people gathered in the TRU cafeteria today to talk about food. There were three purposes for the second Food Policy Council meeting today: to celebrate the progress of the food projects in the community, to engage interested participants and to identify opportunities for the next steps.

(A delectable lunch that was 80% locally-grown was served today at the Food Policy Council meeting by the Bean Counter and Grower’s Market: vegetarian and beef chili, cheese scones, bannock with local jams, coffee and tea and desserts. Photos and information by Jasmine Hjelden.)

The last time the Food Policy Council met was five years ago. The Council finished the projects and initiatives identified at that first meeting, and today they began the process of coming up with new ideas and setting new goals.

Organizations represented at the event today included Oliver Street Market, San Jose Cattle Company, the Grower’s Market, the City and the Potato House Project. Also present were Food Policy Council Coordinator Michelle Daymond, Tatyana Bates, Food Policy Council Chair, Mary Forbes, Scout Island Educator, Anne Burrill, City Social Planning Manager and a wide range of community members with ideas for innovative, sustainable projects.

City Councillor Danica Hughes welcomed the group on behalf of City Council, and Tatjana Bates talked about the beginning of the Food Policy Council in 2006. She said that it started out as healthy schools and community’, with the idea was to get healthier food items in the schools—something that was closely followed by government policy.

One initiative discussed today was a 25,000 square foot Community Garden at Williams Lake Secondary School on a segment of land on Carson, where trees and shrubs will be planted and where vegetables will be planted once the soil is built up.

Other ideas included an 800 square foot root cellar with state of the art technology, community greenhouses in town, a process for collecting fruit and vegetables in town that don’t get harvested, community gardens in all the schools and a community compost program. Encouraging restaurants to use local and organic food was also suggested.

Participants reported that the event was a great success and a positive indication of future projects that will benefit the community.

The ideas generated today will go to the Food Policy Council meeting on March 14.   

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