The Campbell River Compost Education Centre opens on Wednesday, April 15.
The centre, a function of the Comox Strathcona Waste Management (CSWM) service, kicks off its new season with a presentation on the benefits of greenhouse gardening.
Local farmer Arzeena Hamir will offer the presentation from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday inside St Peter’s Anglican Church, next to the Compost Education Centre, located at 228 South Dogwood St.
The Compost Centre itself opens at 10 a.m., and through to the fall will offer a variety of free workshops on composting, organic gardening, conservation and lawn care. An on-site educator is there to provide facility tours, to showcase the benefits of diverting organics through composting, to answer questions and to give helpful tips on maintaining a backyard composting program.
“The opening of the Compost Education Centre in April means that the prime gardening season is just around the corner,” said on-site educator Elaine Jansen. “Spending time in the garden is not only for adults, it is about getting the whole family involved and that is the primary focus of our programs and events.”
The CSWM service encourages elementary, middle and high schools, and community groups to make arrangements with Jansen to bring students or members to the centre for an environmentally-focused and interactive learning session.
The hours of operation for the Compost Education Centre are Wednesday through Friday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
For more information on the Compost Education Centre in Campbell River, visit www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/composting
The Comox Strathcona waste management (CSWM) service is a function of the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) and is responsible for two regional waste management centres that serve the Comox Valley and Campbell River, as well as a range of transfer stations and smaller waste-handling and recycling facilities for the electoral areas of the CVRD and the Strathcona Regional District.
The CSWM service manages more than 100,000 tonnes of waste and recycled material and oversees a number of diversion and education programs.