Ottawa community garden closes abruptly as season gets underway

A long-running Ottawa community garden has closed unexpectedly at the start of the gardening season, leaving members scrambling to remove their plants before access is restricted on June 1. CTV's Natalie Van Rooy speaks with Hildegard Henderson, a 30-year member of the Strathcona Heights Community Garden on Wiggins Private near Lees Avenue in Sandy Hill, who says she is devastated by the sudden closure. In an email obtained by CTV News, the City of Ottawa's Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services department says the site will remain closed for the upcoming season while the city undertakes remedial work and organizational measures to ensure the garden's long-term safety, sustainability, and success. Former member Joyce Halladay says some gardeners have raised concerns about conflicts between members, suggesting that may be part of the reason the city has stepped in. Subscribe to CTV News to watch more videos: https://www.youtube.com/ctvnews Connect with CTV News Ottawa: For live updates and latest headlines visit: http://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa CTV News Ottawa on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ctvnewsottawa CTV News Ottawa on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/CTVOttawa CTV News Ottawa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ctv-news-ottawa Connect with CTV News: For live updates and latest headlines visit: http://www.ctvnews.ca/ For breaking news, fast, download the CTV News App: https://www.ctvnews.ca/app Must-watch stories and full programs at http://www.ctvnews.ca/video CTV News on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/CTV-News CTV News on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/CTVNews CTV News on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/CTVNEWS CTV News on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/ctv-news --- CTV News is Canada's most-watched news organization both locally and nationally, and has a network of national, international, and local news operations. #CommunityGarden #Ottawa #CTVNewsOttawa #SandyHill #StrathconaHeights #OttawaParks #FoodSecurity #UrbanGardening #ctvnews #ctvnationalnews #canadiannews