Build a bespoke community eco-building at Thrive Community Garden

Thrive is a unique community garden, operating in an open space providing people with the opportunity to work both autonomously and alongside others. We propose to build an accessible eco-building to support and expand the garden's offering as an open community resource. The building provides the facilities needed for local schools, kindergartens, community members and groups such as Araluen to regularly access the garden. Activities will include garden workshops, kitchen gardening for children, therapeutic gardening sessions and a range of programs promoting healthy lifestyles. The space is inclusive of the entire community, across all ages, genders, abilities and cultural backgrounds.

Having a structure with cooking and accessible bathroom facilities opens up new possibilities to to share our already established permaculture food forest with the wider community. This combination of a built space in an active community garden allows educational opportunities that are not met in Diamond Creek currently. The very nature of the space creates an intergenerational discourse providing opportunities for teenagers, primary and preschool children, families and retirees. Studies have proven the benefit of gardening to mental health, physical health and social cohesion. This building will help deliver those outcomes for the local community.