Testimonials

 “The People’s Potato supports the Concordia Greenhouse fee levy! The Potato and the Greenhouse have had a long standing relationship over the last few years exchanging info, services, volunteers, and collaborating on projects such as Vert ta ville seedling project, the City Farm School urban agriculture project, the RealiTea local tea initiative, and others! As another food security oriented group on campus, the Greenhouse fulfills a key role in this community by providing accessible services around environmental sustainability, permaculture, composting, and many others. They hold workshops, craft nights, film screenings, discussion and reading groups, which are often free to all.

Our collective and board have also held meetings and events in their amazing soul-nourishing greenhouse space on the 13th floor of the Hall building.

We love the Greenhouse and encourage all community members to check out and engage in the wonderful numerous projects of this great group.”

In Solidarity,

People’s Potato Collective

“The greenhouse has been a wonderful resource throughout my four years living in Montreal and attending Concordia. It is a peaceful environment that I treasure especially because of the scarcity of plant life in our downtown campus. It is a place of refuge from the pressures of moving from the country to the city, and a place where I can look out over my city and soak in the sun. I have met up with friends there when I can’t afford to buy food to meet up in cafe, and have always felt very welcomed and engaged. The tea and variety of plant life always lift my spirits, and I consider the place as a sanctuary.

Additionally, I have benefited from the Greenhouse from Action Communauterre. I am involved in a community garden in NDG through this organization, and I am aware and deeply grateful that many of our seedlings and young plants were germinated and nurtured in the greenhouse by loving volunteers. I cannot overstate how valuable this resource is to AC members like myself.

The greenhouse’s public outreach is very admirable, as demonstrated by these sprout donations, their detailed weekly newsletters that cite events all over the city, and forums, movies, and educational workshops and lectures. Their programming is continually getting more creative and enthusiastic. The diversity of events makes the place multi-dimensional and multi-purpose, which are very important aims as it will make the greenhouse more inviting to a large audience.

Overall, I am proud and indebted to the amazing effort that the greenhouse has tirelessly given to making life in Montreal more comfortable- from my initial transition to the city up until now. I am very concerned for its future. In my mind it is an essential resource that Concordia needs to maintain and strengthen, and a school without a greenhouse is a worrisome prospect. Teaching and inviting people to appreciate plant life should be a part of every Concordia student’s education, and the incredible resource of the greenhouse should be celebrated instead of being put under threat.”

-Hananh Stratford-Kurus, People`s Potato

” The greenhouse and the passionate work and love generously provided by the Concordia students and faculty support extends out into the Montreal community affecting the lives of many folks beyond the university hub. This kind of community building is quintessential in a sustainable vision of the city of Montreal. As a youth worker in the community organization Dans La Rue, i work with youth at risk and in poverty and am responsible for an employment program where these youth run a community garden, grow food for our day center and work to provide events in the garden bringing together the community that shares the garden and neighbours the Dans La rue day center. As a participant at Farm School I was able to learn from many knowleadgeable and passionate individuals through the Concordia Greenhouse and bring this back to my community work with the youth at Dans La rue. Thank-you for your hard work and committment to food security in Montreal. you cannot always see how far your everyday choices affect others – yet each choice ripples and ripples outward and the greenhouse is a center of creative vision and action that we cannot lose. “

-Karina Gregory

 “The greenhouse at Concordia is an invaluable resource. Their educational programming is both very important and very exciting. They also do a great service to the Concordia community by providing a beautiful and calming environment for folks to enjoy. The dedicated staff and volunteers of the greenhouse are welcoming and informative. I strongly encourage undergrads to vote yes for their fee levy so they may continue their awesome work.”

 Tave Cole,  Le Frigo Vert

“The Greenhouse has become a vital centre for education and outreach at Concordia. particularly in terms of its ability to link students to community agricultural projects in the city. These hands-on projects not only provide an applied learning context for students but also promote knowledge exchange and sustainable practices throughout the city. To continue being a medium for community and environmental development, the Greenhouse needs your vote of support. A vote for the Concordia Greenhouse Fee Levy is a vote for sustained real-world education and engagement.”

 Norma Rantisi, Ph.D.Associate Professor, Department of Geography, Planning & Environment, Concordia University