From Snacks to Sustainability with Evergreen

By Karl Petschke, exclusive to torontopath.com

Join the conversation! Leave a comment below.
It looks as if what at first just seemed like a break from my customary food court lunch has ended up being something that the whole community is getting behind. That’s because while I was walking down Adelaide the other day, Arnell Plaza at Bay Adelaide Centre wasn’t just playing host to the usual hasty footsteps and drawn out coffee breaks. Instead, I found myself wandering into a small market, colourful and fragrant with organic foods and fresh produce. The market turns out to be an initiative by Evergreen Brick Works, a rapidly expanding business (or movement, depending on who you ask) in the community, which hopes to make locally grown produce more accessible to the public. Not only that, they’re using their income to educate kids and adults alike about what it takes to become a sustainable community, and bridge the gap between city-dwellers and nature.

If the goal seems a bit lofty for a few produce stands in the middle of the Financial District, that’s because it is. The event is being held in Arnell Plaza around lunch time every Thursday until September, but is just a sample of the farmers' market that is run every Saturday at Evergreen Brick Works’ main location at 550 Bayview Avenue, sandwiched on the east end between Chorley Park and Moore Ravine Park. Though the market is only held on Saturdays, the location’s Evergreen Gardens are open seven days a week, with recycled and reclaimed products on sale to the public, in addition to vegetables, herbs, native plants, trees and shrubs. Evergreen Brick Works is also hoping to help build a more environmentally conscious community by offering green services like bicycle repair (which is also available at the market in Arnell Plaza), organizing community art projects and build weekends, as well as clubs, crafts and summer camps for eco-friendly kids. They also hold workshops that touch on everything from creating great meals from local produce, to making your lifestyle more environmentally friendly at home, in the office, or during your commute.

Whether you just like the idea of steering clear of fast-food and supermarkets, or are looking to make some real changes to your lifestyle, there’s no denying that the environmentally-minded volunteers and workers at Evergreen Brick Works are helping all of Toronto take a step in the right direction. If you’d like to take advantage of a wide variety of products and services, and help ensure our city remains happy, beautiful, and green for years to come, its as easy as taking a trip to Evergreen Brick Works (preferably using one of the many routes they’ve pointed out for travel on foot, by bike or via public transit) and becoming a part of one of the city’s most promising environmental initiatives. If that’s a bit out of the way, the farmer’s market will be running at Bay Adelaide Centre on Thursdays throughout the summer, and will be giving Torontonians a chance to see for themselves how great it feels – and tastes – to renew their connection with nature, culture and community.

Add your comment

Rating - optional 1 star 2 stars 3 stars 4 stars 5 stars

Comments are moderated, and will not appear until the author has approved them.