Garden City Farms is four urban agriculture sites in Red Deer, Alberta managed by ReThink Red Deer and partners.
In partnership with the City of Red Deer, The two main urban agriculture project sites are Common Ground Garden Project (CGGP) and Piper Creek Restoration Agriculture Project (PCRAP) with two new sites launching in 2026 - the JJ Gaetz Farmstead and TBA.
Common Ground Garden Project (CGGP)
Common Ground Garden Project is located on the Indigenous traditional territories represented by Treaties 6 and 7. This land is also acknowledged as an historic Métis gathering site. ReThink Red Deer in collaboration with The City of Red Deer aim to work together with Indigenous peoples in building a welcoming and inclusive community. The site is a 4-acre, multi-phase brownfield redevelopment in downtown Red Deer’s Capstone district. The site includes interactive, accessible, above-ground, four-season growing spaces intended to be moveable. The project demonstrates four-season growing and produces annual vegetables and flowers for the Red Deer Food Bank, The Mustard Seed, local social agencies, and schools that use the site for outreach and learning.
Piper Creek Restoration Agriculture Project (PCRAP)
Established in 2014, this 25-acre site works to repair historical impacts on riparian and agricultural land in the Red Deer River watershed. It aims to regenerate ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and help residents deepen their relationship with the natural world. Features include a community garden in partnership with the City of Red Deer, an 11,000 square foot food forest and pollinator garden, eco-buffer plantings, a rainwater-harvesting timber-frame barn, multiple riparian restoration areas
The two additional sites (launching in 2026) will focus on seed security and propagation of hardy, open-pollinated varieties, showcasing truly local, regionally adapted food cultures via experiential tourism and culinary programming
What the Farm Produces
Across the network, the farm produces “beyond organic” vegetables, fruit, grains, and flowers, distributed to people in need (food banks, soup kitchens, community agencies) and to mainstream markets and local restaurant(s)
The network operates under the Red Deer Market Garden Standard (RDMGS) - a set of guidelines for soil health, water stewardship, public safety, social inclusion, and economic viability. Permaculture principles guide all operations, informed by Soil Food Web ecology, Restoration Agriculture, zero-waste strategies, and Market Gardener Institute methodologies.
This approach creates one cohesive, resilient urban agriculture system - a model for planners, funders, and elected officials looking to understand climate resilience and sustainable development in action.
More details here - https://youngagrarians.org/common-ground-garden-project-apprenticeship/
