The Confluence Garden was once the award-winning Fort Calgary Garden, brought back after an unceremonious removal in 2018. Since the Garden’s return, it has been the spot for campers to learn about the medicine wheel, and a place to grow medicines, fruits and vegetables.
The Garden has already produced nearly 900 pounds of zucchini, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and started growing medicines like tobacco, sage and sweetgrass in 2024.
Only a year later, The Confluence partnered with The Alex Community Food Centre, which provides access to food for struggling families.
The Confluence also hosts land-based teachings in it’s garden, namely the Urban Beekeeping initiative, which sees four healthy beehives in the garden. Some of which are owned by local businesses and restaurants, but are still used in Confluence events.
The Urban beekeeping event at the Confluence is a two hour long class, and features ABC Bees owner Eliese Watson. The class teaches you how to set up the hives, how to care for the bees and how to help them adapt to inner-city living.
We got to chat with Blair Cunningham of the Confluence, and asked about the beekeeping program and it’s origins.
We asked Blair about what grows in the garden and why.
Blair told us about all the uses the garden has for the Confluence.
Blair told us about some future plans for the garden.
No other dates for beekeeping courses are up right now, but The Confluence encourages anyone to come down and visit the garden.
Comments