Northern Alberta school seeks to improve mental health, taste buds with on-site greenhouse
“It was just a far-fetched, wild idea not even a year ago.”
Rob Wicker, principal of Aurora Middle School in Lac La Biche, Alberta, says the thought of building a full-blown greenhouse for his students and community always seemed like just that—a thought.
But less than a year after mentioning the project to a school committee, the Growing Dome greenhouse, supplied by Growing Spaces, is aiming to complete construction by the end of October. This accelerated timeline will serve a multitude of purposes for both the school and community.
“We didn’t have a budget, so we were just throwing ideas out,” said Wicker. “I thought the greenhouse would be really cool. We could grow plants, get kids involved, expose them to new foods and foster an environment that boosts mental health.”
The Growing Dome greenhouse, roughly 42 feet in diameter, is resistant to the elements year-round and has a geodesic design, with triangular shapes used to form the dome.
Wicker expects the greenhouse will enhance a variety of programs at Aurora Middle School--including the science curriculum, home economics classes, and even non-related courses where teachers can spend an hour with students in a different learning environment.
He hopes the community and neighboring schools can also take advantage of the greenhouse.
“We’re right next door to a primary school, and I’d love for high school students to visit as well if they are having an agricultural focus in school,” said Wicker. “My wife works as a children’s programmer at the local public library, so there are opportunities to get young kids and parents out as well.”
Wicker says the support of APPLE Schools helped the greenhouse idea come to fruition. Funded by Canada’s federal government and private enterprises, APPLE Schools enhances healthy eating, physical activity and mental health habits through school-focused initiatives, and serves 63 schools across northern Alberta.
Aurora Middle School’s Indigenous ties also contributed to the quick success of the growing dome greenhouse. Dianne Ludwig is the school’s “kookum,” which is Cree for grandmother. Ludwig is a full-time Elder in Residence with the school, and played a key role in finding funding and generating enthusiasm for the project.
Support for the project also came from Northern Lights Public Schools, which contributed $100,000, and the Métis Nation of Alberta.
Enbridge is committed to improving quality of life in the communities where we operate. In 2016, we invested more than $4 million in community-strengthening initiatives across Alberta, and a recent $10,000 Enbridge grant helped establish Aurora Middle School’s greenhouse project. Enbridge tradespeople will also be volunteering their time and expertise this fall to help build the project.
For a school with a focus on supportive and preventative mental health initiatives, the greenhouse will serve as a valuable resource and safe haven for students.
And, of course, encourage children to try new foods.
“If kids go out and plant carrots, our hope is that they will be more excited about eating those carrots,” said Wicker. “And things like radishes, too. Kids would try that, right?”
