It’s a growing concern.

The community garden in Colwood not only teaches people how to grow their own fruit and vegetables, but also helps address food security issues — the ability to produce and maintain local food sources, said David Stott, food security co-ordinator for Capital Families Association.

“Over 90 per cent of the food we eat comes from off the Island, an average of 1,700 miles in fact,” Stott points out. “So our food supply is vulnerable to economic and environmental changes.”

The burgeoning growth in population on the West Shore and the fact that food prices will continue to rise due to increases in transportation costs have more people turning to gardening and discovering the pleasure of growing their own food, Stott noted.

The community garden was planted in 1997 with the support of Capital Families and Pilgrim United Church to teach people how to garden, and has passed along a green thumb to more than 150 West Shore residents since the first crop was harvested.

While the focus for the past 10 years has been to teach low-income families how to garden and provide them with food, the sponsoring organizations are taking the garden in a different direction.

“We’re now opening the garden up to anyone in the community who wants to get involved in growing their own fruit and vegetables and herbs,” Stott said. “The aim is to have experienced gardeners who can pass along their expertise to people with less gardening skills.”

There are 30 to 100-square-foot plots on raised garden beds available, as well as six other raised beds of varying size.

There will be a nominal charge to be determined by the participating gardeners to cover the cost of maintaining the garden.

Those interested in participating in the organization of the new garden will be invited to visit the site at Pilgrim United Church, 3319 Painter Rd., in early April.

“If enough people get involved, we can create a new, self-sustaining community garden,” Stott said.