How a few piles of dirt are paving the way for fresh food and flower beds.

If you’ve driven or walked past Dyment Recreation Hall and Park lately, you’ve probably noticed that things are looking a little… mound-y. Giant piles of gravel and fresh dirt have officially taken over a few spots around the grounds, looking less like a community park and more like a gravel pit. But before you think we’ve given up on landscaping to start a dirt-mound fan club, rest assured: there’s a fantastic method to this messy madness!

All this earth-moving is part of a major summer and fall makeover. Thanks to generous support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, we are expanding and upgrading the community park space to lay the foundation for a brand-new community garden and vibrant flower beds.

Building Groundwork for Everyone

Those gravel piles aren’t just for show! They’re the secret sauce behind all this upcoming infrastructure work. Over the coming weeks, concrete pads are being poured to make access smoother, safer, and far more accessible for everyone in our community, no matter their mobility needs.

They’re also building a brand-new garden shed to keep the program’s tools safe, dry, and ready for work. Combined with freshly planted apple trees and future fruit patches, these capital improvements are set to boost our local food production, strengthen food programming, and bring a whole lot of delicious, fresh possibilities right to our backyard.

So, the next time you swing by Dyment Park and spot those mounds of stone and soil, don’t just see a mess—see the tomatoes, apple blossoms, and accessible walkways taking shape! Big things are blooming, and we can’t wait to see every step (and shovel full) of the journey.

A big thanks to the Local Services Board of Melgund for all their hard work in making this program possible, and we’re excited to be supporting this amazing new program!