The Bourgeau Community Garden Project moving forward, consensus emerging

Drazen Seslija and Jude Osmond

A second meeting regarding the Bourgeau Community Garden project was held on Monday, June 15, 2026, at the Front Community Center, allowing the City of Gatineau and residents to continue discussing the future location of this community space.

Organized as part of a City-led initiative, the meeting brought together residents, Aylmer District Councillor Vincent Roy, and members of his team. The main objective was to evaluate potential sites for the future community garden.

In total, four locations were discussed during the meetings. Two of them are in the Bourgeau Garden area, while the other two are near Front Park.

Front Park has been the most sought-after location among residents, as they believe it makes the most sense given the project's jurisdiction.

The discussions allowed participants to examine the advantages and challenges of each proposed site. Among the concerns raised, some residents noted that the space available at Front Park for the garden would be more limited than at other sites under consideration.

Despite this constraint, the discussions led to a consensus in favour of a location at Front Park. Participants highlighted the proximity to the new Front Community Center, an advantage that could facilitate organizing and managing garden-related activities.

The presence of a communal kitchen within the community center was also identified as a significant asset. This facility could enable participants to process or cook some of the produce grown in the garden, thereby fostering community activities and the sharing of food knowledge.

According to Vincent Roy, collaboration between citizens and the City of Gatineau played a key role in advancing the project. The council member praised the participants’ involvement, noting that they actively contributed to the discussions and the search for solutions to advance the issue.

This project has been a big revelation over the past couple of months. Discussions have been ongoing for the past two months between Bourgeau residents and the city, but following the successful meeting on Monday, a decision on the project is not far off.