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- 1. Residential Red Zone Community Food Network Survey Results University of Canterbury, Food Resilience Network, AvON Ōtākaro Network, Healthy Christchurch ABSTRACT In order to determine community response to the proposed Residential Red Zone Community Food Network, a survey was distributed to a variety of organisations that had previously stated their interest in the project. Using the results enclosed in this report, we hope to expand our current network of food producing initiatives to the Residential Red Zone, providing opportunities for community engagement and ensuring future food security throughout Christchurch and the Canterbury region.
- 2. RESIDENTIAL RED ZONE COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK 2 Table of Contents I. Overview of Proposal 3 II. Organisations Represented 3 III. Neighborhoods Represented 4 IV. Support 5 V. Comments 9 VI. Demographics 10 VII. Key Findings 10 VIII. Comparison to Public Consultation 11
- 3. RESIDENTIAL RED ZONE COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK 3 I. Overview of Proposal Following the devastating 2011 earthquake that struck Christchurch and surrounding areas, there has been a movement to grow food in the Residential Red Zone (RRZ), an area along the Avon-‐Otakaro River that was severely damaged by the earthquake (~600 hectares). As the RRZ is adjacent to the river, the soil is highly fertile, which makes this area especially suitable for growing many foods and other plants. Decisions are still to be made by government about the future use of the RRZ. In anticipation of this, the Food Resilience Network in conjunction with a collaborative of organisations including University of Canterbury, AvON Ōtākaro Network, and Healthy Christchurch, held a public consultation day to test public sentiment about using the RRZ to grow food. Following this meeting, a survey was created and distributed to organisations that had declared interest in participating in the proposed food growing initiatives. The survey results were analysed and are detailed in this report. II. Organisations Represented Question 1: If you are representing an organisation, please tell us the name of that organisation and the number of members. 5 responses Of the 294 total responses received, only 5 indicated the organisations they represented. The organizations included in these responses were New Brighton Community Gardens, Te Haa O Io, Wainoni/Avonside Community Services Trust, Chisnallwood Intermediate, and The Just Dirt Trust. In the survey design, it was not
- 4. RESIDENTIAL RED ZONE COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK 4 required to list an organisation, which is likely what accounted for the few number of responses for this first question. Additionally, respondents may not have felt comfortable naming the organisation with which they are affiliated. III. Neighborhoods Represented Question 2: Which neighborhood do you live in? 221 responses To assess where our respondents are located geographically, they were asked to indicate their neighborhood. 14 neighborhoods were listed in the survey including Avon Loop, Richmond, Avonside, Dallington, Shirley, Wainoni, Avondale, Burwood, Aranui, North New Brighton, Central New Brighton, South New Brighton, Southshore, and Linwood with an alternative option for ‘other’ if respondents lived in a neighborhood that was not mentioned. Surprisingly, 40% of respondents are not located in the 14 neighborhoods mentioned. 24% of respondents live in North, Central, and South New Brighton, with few (>8%) respondents representing each remaining neighborhood. Of the 89 respondents who indicated ‘other’, 42 additional neighborhoods were listed with small concentrations in St. Albans (6 respondents), Riccarton (6 respondents), and Sumner (5 respondents). The remaining neighborhoods had fewer than 5 respondents representing them. It is good to see that people from all over the surrounding areas are interested in the future of the RRZ. However, it will be interesting to see how proximity to the RRZ affects participation and involvement from these neighborhoods.
- 5. RESIDENTIAL RED ZONE COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK 5 IV. Support for a Community Food Network throughout the RRZ Question 3: If you would like to see the results of this survey, please tell us your email address. This will be kept confidential and is for the purposes of contacting you about this survey only. 113 responses Question 4: Have you heard about the proposal for a Community Food Network throughout the Avon-‐Otakaro Residential Red Zone? 219 responses When asked if they had previously heard about the proposal for a Community Food Network throughout the Avon-‐Otakaro RRZ, 72% said they had previously heard about the proposal while 28% had not heard about the proposal before. Question 5: Please indicate your level of support for the concept of a Community Food Network throughout the Avon-‐Otakaro Residential Red Zone. 218 responses Respondents were then asked to indicate their support for the proposal by selecting Strongly Agree, Agree, Neither Agree nor Disagree, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree. 72% Strongly Agree, 15% Agree, 6% Neither Agree or Disagree, 2% Disagree, and 6% Strongly Disagree. While there is a large majority support for the proposal, it is clear that some people do not agree with some aspects of the proposal. Going forward it would be nice to hear from those who disagree or strongly disagree and understand which part of the proposal they do not agree with. In the comments section, there was only one comment that showed some criticism. The commenter stated, “I think orchards would attract vermin and also have an impact on growers who grow for their business”.
- 6. RESIDENTIAL RED ZONE COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK 6 Question 6: A range of project ideas and locations have been suggested for this Community Food Network. Please indicate your level of support for each of these. Question Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree or Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree Total Responses Mean (a) Avon Loop Allotment Gardens 118 60 22 3 9 212 4.3 (b) Gardens on north side of Avon btw Avon Loop and Avonside Loop 104 69 20 8 9 210 4.2 (c) Heritage Cider Orchard (South of Avonside Loop) 104 63 22 12 9 210 4.15 (d) Heritage Community Garden and Orchard, Banks Ave. 114 69 13 8 7 211 4.3 (e) Gardens 109 62 22 7 8 208 4.24 (f) Wainoni Orchard 114 69 16 5 6 210 4.33 (g) Avondale Allotments or Market Gardening 113 62 21 8 7 211 4.26 (h) North New Brighton Foraging Trail (adjoining Anzac Drive Reserve Area) 136 52 14 4 6 212 4.45 (i) Food Growing in Bexley, by Pages Rd. 114 66 17 5 9 210 4.3 (j) South Brighton Domain Community Garden 125 59 18 5 5 212 4.39
- 7. RESIDENTIAL RED ZONE COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK 7 Question 7: Please indicate the extent to which you would personally use these spaces Question Would never use Might occasionally visit Would occasionally visit and do some gardening Would frequently visit Would like to be a regular volunteer Total responses Mean (a) Avon Loop Allotment Gardens 37 80 46 21 20 204 2.54 (b) Gardens on north side of Avon between Avon Loop and Avonside Loop 38 75 47 28 14 202 2.53 (c) Heritage Cider Orchard (south of Avonside Loop) 40 67 54 27 16 204 2.57 (d) Heritage Community Garden and Orchard, Banks Ave 36 77 44 33 14 204 2.57 (e) Gardens 27 72 47 44 13 203 2.72 (f) Wainoni Orchard 35 76 47 28 16 202 2.57 (g) Avondale Allotments or Market Gardening 39 74 48 27 14 202 2.52 (h) North New Brighton Foraging Trail (adjoining Anzac Drive Reserve Area) 23 58 42 58 21 202 2.98 (i) Food growing in Bexley, by Pages Rd 40 74 34 36 16 200 2.57 (j) South Brighton Domain Community Garden 46 71 42 23 23 205 2.54
- 8. RESIDENTIAL RED ZONE COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK 8
- 9. RESIDENTIAL RED ZONE COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK 9 V. Comments Question 8: If you have any ideas for food related initiatives in the Avon-‐Otakaro Residential Red Zone that you believe would get strong local community backing, please tell us these ideas here 36 responses Selected Comments § Get the schools and community groups involved by "donating them designated areas." Match them up with Grey groups to learn § Cooking and kitchen activities need to be provided along side these gardening initiatives so that people can re-‐learn skills such as preserving and picking, jam making etc. The areas, especially the market gardening spaces, should be used for schools and employment training and up-‐skilling for the unemployed. § Allow school groups access to an allotted area or have them plant fruit trees for the future. Plant more fruit trees. § I think orchards would attract vermin and also have an impact on growers who grow for their business § Plant traditional Maori medicine plants, plants for bees § A walking trail or wayfinding between the projects so that the food network becomes something we see as part of our sense of place § I have heard of people foraging for fruit in the red zone. I would like to see more fruit being grown in this region. § I would like to see more attention given to Heritage Gardens -‐ what was there before the earthquake. I think there should be gardens that feed the soul as well as the body § Kai mara Maori -‐ a place for growing Maori kai such as kumara, different species of Maori potato, kamokamo. Could include wet spaces for watercress, maybe even a separate one for harakeke cultivars § Link small areas to schools and provide educational support. Ensure that there are family friendly areas-‐ adventure trails, picnic tables, and wheelchair friendly walks built into the design. Provide transport and a support worker to educate school kids and teachers in the growing particularly of high-‐interest foods, and link with family cooking and eating nights at the school. Then, when there is buy-‐in, allow adjoining allotments for families and have a plan to deal with abandoned allotments!
- 10. RESIDENTIAL RED ZONE COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK 10 VI. Demographics Question 9: Please indicate your age range 219 responses Age Range Responses Percent 1-‐15 0 0% 16-‐25 10 5% 26-‐35 44 20% 36-‐45 57 26% 46-‐55 48 22% 56-‐65 48 22% 66+ 12 5% Question 10: Are you representing an organisation? 294 responses Answer Responses Percent Yes 19 6% No 275 94% VII. Key Findings • There is majority support for the concept of a Community Food Network throughout the Avon-‐Otakaro Residential Red Zone (see question 5)
- 11. RESIDENTIAL RED ZONE COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK 11 • There is majority support for the food growing initiatives listed (see question 6) • Most people would occasionally visit, but fewer people would be regular visitors or volunteers (see question 7) • Many comments emphasize support for education, orchards, and cultural spaces (heritage gardens, traditional Maori gardens, etc.) (see question 8) VIII. Comparison to Public Consultation Shared comments from survey and public forum Differences among comments from survey and public forum § High demand for orchards § Public forum comments included more concerns about water management § Emphasis on community engagement § More forum comments about commercial growing § Emphasis on incorporating education § Concerns from survey included increase in vermin/pests while concerns from forum addressed soil fertility (lack of earthworms) and upkeep § Sharing knowledge, cultural aspects § Emphasis on restoring Heritage Garden from survey § Recreational activities § More emphasis on incorporating Maori culture, foods from survey § Foraging § Natural areas, native plants § Cooking and kitchen activities § Allotments