Seed Saving Workshops

Spence Neighbourhood Association
615 Ellice Avenue

• Wednesday, March 13 at 2:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 19 at 5:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 26 at 6:00 p.m.
• Thursday, March 28 at 2:00 p.m.

Gather together with community members, gardeners and first-time seed starters to help start seeds for the community gardens and volunteers. We will start a variety of seeds and take a look at the plants in the basement. All are welcome.

These workshops are FREE! Snacks will be provided. For more information or to register, contact Tanya at 204-783-2834.

Community Composting 30K Celebration!

Tuesday, March 12
823 Ellice Avenue
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Celebrate 2 years and 30,000 pounds of Community Composting in the West End!

For the past two years, we have collected organic waste from local businesses by bicycle and delivered it to nearby compost bins, diverting 30,000 pounds of waste from the landfill.

Join us for an evening of refreshments, mingling, and learning to celebrate this landmark accomplishment!

• Hear the experiences of Jonnies Sticky Buns, a community gardener, and our composting coordinator with the program.
• Discover how you can contribute to our localized nutrient cycling system by composting and gardening right here in your neighbourhood!
• Find out what other communities and cities are doing with their organic waste and help us is imagine what more our neighbourhood could accomplish.

For more, contact Bowen at 204.774.7005 or composting(at)dmsmca.ca. Join our Facebook event and tell your friends!

Photos from the Garden Tour

Wellington School Garden

Kelly's Dye Garden

University of Winnipeg Bike Lab

Before I die wall at the Broadway Neighbourhood Centre

Sunflower at the Broadway Neighbourhood Centre Community Garden

Inner City Garden Tour

Tuesday, August 28, 2012
5:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Tour starts at Orioles Community Garden (corner of St. Matthews and Burnell). Take the low-floor bus or ride your bike to 8 inner city community gardens. Enjoy an evening of garden wisdom, inspiring stories and seeing first hand some of the changes that come with greening the community.

For more information, contact Robyn at 204-774-7005 ext. 104 or greening(at)dmsmca.ca.

Upcoming Workshops in West Broadway and Spence

Vermicomposting Workshop
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
West Broadway Development Corporation, 608 Broadway

Learn how to compost indoors using red wriggler worms at this FREE workshop. To register call 930-9989 or email composting@westbroadway.mb.ca. For more information, visit the West Broadway Development Corporation Events page.

Food Mapping in Spence Neighbourhood
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Beginning at 5:00 p.m.
689 Maryland Street

Learn where our food comes from and how it gets to our tables; share stories of growing your own food; and help create a food map of Spence neighbourhood. This workshop will be a fun chance to share stories about food and participate in an art activity about food and community.

Workshop is FREE and snacks will be provided!

Farmer's Markets Near the West End

Gas Station Village Farmers' Market
Days: Thursdays
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Where: Outside the Gas Station Theatre at River and Osborne
Features: 100 mile food options; local artisans; food vendors; live music; Half Pints beer garden

Good Food Club Veggie Van Market
Days: Wednesdays
Time: 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Location: Thompson Funeral Home parking lot at Broadway and Sherbrook
Features: Fresh produce from Wiens Family Farm

Main Street Farmers Market
Days: Fridays (June 19 to September 14)
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Where: Neechi Commons parking lot at Euclid and Main
Features: Produce; crafts; baked goods; buskers from the North End and around Winnipeg

Wolseley Farmers' Market
Days: Tuesdays & Thursdays (June 19 to November 1)
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Where: R.A. Steen Community Centre, 190 Palmerston
Features: Local food; home-spun artistic products; live music; workshops; kid friendly environment

Jane's Walk

There are two Jane's Walks coming up in our neighbourhood this weekend. These are free walking tours that help people get in touch with their communities and with each other.

So You Think You Know the West End? Think Again!
Guided by: Gloria Cardwell-Hoeppner, West End BIZ
Sunday, May 6th at 2 p.m.

Burnell Street
Guided by: Christian Cassidy, history buff West End Dumplings blogger
Sunday, May 6th at 2 p.m.

Orioles Community Garden will be featured as part of the Burnell Street walk. Hope to see you!

Massive West End Spring Clean-Up

The clean-up was cancelled last weekend due to predictions of rain, which never happened. But no matter... This weekend is supposed to be nicer anyway! See you Saturday, April 28 from 1 - 4 p.m.

Gather at the location of your choice:
DMSMCA Offices - 823 Ellice Ave.
Magnus Eliason Rec Centre - 430 Langside Street
West Central Women's Resource Centre - 640 Ellice Ave.
Ma Mawi Spence Site - 443 Spence Street

Come out and help clean up your neighbourhood! Garbage bags, gloves and snacks provided.

For more information contact Robyn at 774-7005 or greening(at)dmsmca.ca.

Community Gardens 2012

Are you interested in community gardening this year?  It may seem a little early but DMSMCA is accepting applications for the Lipton, Orioles and Central Mosque Community Gardens.  DMSMCA manages over 70 garden plots that are available anyone who lives in the DMSM neighbourhood, regardless of skill level.  Each plot is free and priority is given to community members who don’t have a yard and those who have volunteered their time in the garden in the past. 

Lipton Community Garden: was created two years ago with the help of a hardworking committee of volunteers.  This garden is located in a former vacant city park on Lipton near Yarwood and has eleven plots for community members.

Orioles Community Garden: located in front of Orioles Community Centre at 444 Burnell this garden has around 30 individual plots and demand for plots has exceeded available space since its creation.  Orioles also has a number of indigenous prairie plant beds, including a butterfly garden, planted with local children last year. The Orioles Garden has its own message board and this will used to communicate more information about events with gardeners.

Central Mosque Community Garden: DMSMCA created a new garden space in the parking lot of the Winnipeg Central Mosque at 715 Ellice. There are a few plots open to community members who live nearby.

If you have any further questions or would like to get a 2012 garden application please contact Robyn at 774-7005 or greening(at)dmsmca.ca

Inner City Community Garden Tour

The Annual Inner City Community Garden Tour is coming up!
Date: Thursday, August 25th
Time: 5:30-8:30pm

Meet at:
Orioles Community Center 444 Burnell St. at 5pm for snacks and a stroll around their gardens built on an old tennis court before taking off on a bus at 5:30 for a tour of 8 inner city community gardens.

Take the low floor bus or bring your bike for an evening of garden wisdom, inspiring stories, and to see some of the incredible changes that come with greening a community. All are welcome!

Donations accepted at the door for the Community Gardens that we visit.

HUGE West End Spring Clean Up!

Please join us from 1 – 4 pm and help with the clean up efforts!

Saturday April 30th
Meet at 823 Ellice Ave (former West End Library at Ellice & Arlington)
Volunteers will be provided with tools, supplies, guidance and food.

Come out rain or shine to help us clean up our neighbourhood. This year the DMSMCA will be collaborating with other West End groups to make the clean up efforts span the West End neighbourhood. We’ll be working together with Spence Neighbourhood Association, West Central Women’s Resource Centre and St. Matthews Maryland Community Ministry.


Bring your sense of community pride as well as your appetite, food will be served afterward at St. Matthews Maryland Ministry at 641 St. Matthews.


This year we’re hoping to make our portion of the West End Clean Up vehicle free and offer garbage pick up via bicycle trailer. If you have a bike trailer to offer to us we would be very grateful! We are also in need of a photographer to capture all those great clean up moments! Please contact Robyn at greening@dmsmca.ca if you would like to offer your photography skills or your bike trailer (stipends are available).

Contact Robyn at greening(at)dmsmca.ca for more information.