Rooted in community  

Since 1954, the Milton Community Association has worked to bring residents together through local events and projects.

Born and raised in the area, Alex Gallagher, Vice President of the Milton Community Association, says those connections are part of what makes Milton special.

"It's one of those kinds of places where everyone knows each other. There's a lot of tradition, but we also keep evolving as a community." Alex says. 

For Jessie, a director of the association, joining was an opportunity to make a positive impact close to home.  

“The goal of the association is to create projects and events that really bring people in,” she says. “The Milton Community Association is made up of dedicated volunteers who care deeply about strengthening their community.”

From loss to opportunity

Residents wanted to see the former pool transformed into something meaningful and useful. At the same time, there was a growing need for more shared outdoor spaces, particularly for seniors and apartment residents who no longer had outdoor space of their own.

After acquiring the site from the region, the Association welcomed ideas from the community. The ideas poured in, but a community garden quickly rose to the top.

"The Milton Community Garden enabled us to make something positive out of something negative with the loss of the pool," Alex says.

The garden offers a space where residents can grow vegetables and flowers while creating a welcoming gathering place for the community.

Growing community connections

Volunteers and local businesses came together to bring this project to life.

“This project wouldn't have flourished to what it is without the volunteers and the absolute support of the community,” says Jessie, “And having local support was crucial”.

Community partners donated materials, soil, gardening tools, and repurposed insulated fish boxes that now serve as individual raised garden beds, creating a project that truly reflects sustainability, innovation, and community collaboration.

What started as a vision quickly became a reality.

Jessie played her part by reaching out to local businesses for support and helping secure donations, like soil and wood chips. She also created wooden plot markers that can now be found throughout the garden.

Growing with Grassroots Grants

The Association found out that they were a recipient of Nova Scotia Power's Grassroots Grants program just as the garden began to take shape.

"The Grassroots Grant took this from an idea and just a conversation and helped bring it to reality," says Alex.

Funding has supported important infrastructure and supplies, including the addition of large wooden garden boxes.

The grant has also helped the Association look ahead to future improvements.

"The Grassroots Grant will help the longevity of our community," says Jessie. There are even talks about a future greenhouse, something residents say will be a great addition.

Seeing the garden flourish

"It's kind of surreal to see it from the early stages when we had our first meetings to seeing it now," says Jessie. "It's absolutely amazing and the garden has continued to grow."

When the garden first launched, there were 18 garden boxes. Today, there are over 25 with plans to expand even more.

For Alex, seeing the space grow has been one of the most rewarding parts of the project.

"It's amazing what can grow from an idea."

But the growth isn't just measured by the number of garden boxes. The project has created a space where neighbours meet, share gardening knowledge, and help one another throughout the season.

"The project has really helped bring people together," says Alex. "We've made a subdivision of garden boxes. You have a neighbour to the left and to the right and you see the camaraderie and the way they help each other."

 The transformation is about more than gardening. What was once a pool is now a place where connections are made, community is strengthened, and neighbours grow together.

For more information about our Grassroots Grants, visit here.