With a waiting list of 30 citizens and only 35 plots in the Kinsmen Community Garden, Healthy Okotoks Coalition and The Town have started planning for expansion.

The garden plots are planned to be built using volunteer resources and the fencing expansion would be completed by a qualified fencing contractor.

Okotoks Community Wellness Manager Debbie Posey says it shouldn't be too hard to find volunteers for the project.

"Between the town of Okotoks providing support through Parks and Open Spaces and Healthy Okotoks Coalition finding volunteers and we've also contacted some of the wait listed gardeners who wanted plots for 2016 and didn't get them. So I don't think anyone is very worried about finding volunteers to do the work, I think people will show up because they are interested in having a community garden."

The idea is to expand the fenced garden area to the east and add more garden plots.

Posey says they do have plans to double the garden but not quite yet.

"Initially, they will put in about twenty or so plots and maybe leave some space in the middle for the Food Bank or education with schools. So they are not going to add double the plots immediately, they'll add enough plots to meet the need and then there will still be some room for future expansion as the community grows and as the demand grows."

The proposed commencement of the project would be September of this year with plots in the expanded area ready for planting by spring of 2017.

The partnership has also sent letters to adjacent property owners to inform and seek feedback on the proposed expansion.