The Farm at Five Acres Community Park is a place shaped over time by many hands, shared effort, and a long history of food and land use in this region. This landscape sits within the traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation and reflects a much longer story of relationship between people and land, from Indigenous food systems rooted in seasonal harvesting and cultivation across the coastal landscape, to
later agricultural use in the Harewood Plains and surrounding foothills, and the development of small- scale farming tied to early settlement and coal industry.
Since 2015, the farm itself has continued this ongoing thread of food growing, becoming a place where people come together to work the land, learn from each other, and participate in community-based food
production. Over the years, Nanaimo Foodshare has supported the farm with seeds, tools, infrastructure, and educational programming, alongside the ongoing work of volunteers and community members. Together,
this work has helped bring fresh food into community programs, including weekly contributions to the Good Food Box, while also creating space for hands-on learning in growing and food literacy.
In 2019, the City of Nanaimo purchased the property, recognizing its value as a place for food security, ecological care, and public benefit. The farm has continued to evolve within that vision. Today, with Nanaimo Foodshare as steward, the farm is a working urban landscape where food is grown, biodiversity is supported, and learning happens in real time. Much of the harvest is shared through community programs and partner organizations, helping strengthen local food access.
As part of Five Acres Community Park, the farm offers something rare in an urban setting: a place where food production, ecology, and learning are visible and connected. Each year, thousands of people engage through programs, volunteer days, and partnerships.
We are grateful to work alongside organizations including AVI, Nanaimo Community Kitchens, and Nanaimo Community Gardens. If your organization is interested in being part of this ongoing work, we would be glad to connect.
