In 2019, the Museum of Vancouver, in partnership with the University of British Columbia, initiated the MOV backyard garden project, which was inspired by the multicultural backyard gardens of Vancouver. Between 2019 and 2024, students from UBC’s Initiative for Student Teaching and Research in Chinese Canadian Studies, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, and the Asian Canadian and Asian Migration studies program activated the Garden through growing food, delivering public programming, and designing interpretive panels that highlighted the history of Chinese Canadians in British Columbia.
We are excited to announce a new, 2025, collaboration for the Backyard Garden with Afro Van Connect Society, an arts and cultural collective dedicated to empowering African Descent Youth. They will become the new caretakers of this MOV Garden through their Fare Farms initiative, which is committed to creating awareness on food justice, sovereignty, and sustainable land practices from an Afro-Indigenous perspective in Metro Vancouver. This is their second garden space in Vanier Park—the first is located in front of the neighbouring Vancouver Maritime Museum.
“Gardening has changed my life,” Kor Kase, co-founder of Afro Van Connect says. “It has provided me with a sense of harmony with the earth and connected to my community. Tending to this land and plants has fostered an appreciation and authentic connection to the land and natural world. Watching seeds grow into vegetables, fruits or herbs has taught me patience as well as given me a feeling of achievement. I believe the greatest change has been my sense of wellbeing, the therapeutic benefits, promoting mindfulness and reducing anxiety. As a community organization, we are focused on intentional engagement and are looking forward to expanding our roots with MOV.”
This season, Afro Van Connect will be growing culturally relevant foods for the Black community as well as local indigenous plants. MOV and Afro Van Connect will be hosting garden tours as well as other public programs, including an Afro Food Salon: Flavours of The African Diaspora this fall as part of The Black Spaces Symposium and Summit 2025.
If you are interested in joining as a garden volunteer, contact afrovanconnect@gmail.com with “Fare Farms” in the subject line or message Afro Van Connect (@Farefarms) on Instagram.
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Past Backyard Garden Info:
Since 2019 the Museum of Vancouver, in partnership with the University of British Columbia, have co-curated a garden exhibit on the front lawn of the Museum inspired by the multicultural backyard gardens of Vancouver. We recognize that food has been, and continues to be, a medium for civic engagement for migrant communities across the city. This experiential and inclusive garden exhibit celebrates the often untold stories of the backyard gardening community. We’re bringing the backyard to the forefront!
Students from the UBC LFS 350 Fall 2023 cohort designed four interpretive panels that describe the backyard garden, winterizing methods, traditional Chinese vegetables, and the history of Chinese Canadians in British Columbia. Click the button below to view the panels in English and Simplified Chinese.
