The Commons recently received funding from the Gabriola Lions and the Regional District of Nanaimo, totalling up to $18,000, to be put towards the Commons Community Kitchen. In photo, on left, Suzy Nachtsheim, Nikki Stewart, and Bryony Gillis with the Gabriola Lions. On right, Commons members, and in the back, RDN Electoral Area B Director Vanessa Craig. Commons photo
Brent O’Malley
Gabriola Commons
The Commons Community Kitchen is a key asset available to residents of Gabriola looking to prepare food in a certified “commercial kitchen.” Recently, the Community Kitchen received a major boost in power, thanks to generous donations totaling $18,000 from The Gabriola Auxiliary, The Lions, and the Regional District of Nanaimo. We also want to thank Evan Mcintosh of EMC Electrical who performed the electrical work.
The upgrade has allowed the kitchen to transition from a 100-amp subpanel with power coming from an adjacent building to a dedicated 200-amp service. This added resource will ensure that the kitchen operates safely and more efficiently. And, down the road, the extra capacity will allow us to add appliances, like warming ovens, that can be used in some of the larger-scale cooking ventures such as Farm to Table.
The Community Kitchen truly is a community resource. The building transitioned from being a goat milking station years ago into its current incarnation as a commercial kitchen around 2015. With 800 square feet of cooking space, multiple stoves, a walk-in cooler, and ample small appliances, the kitchen is set up to handle most cooking and food preservation projects.
On a weekly basis, dozens of dinners are prepared by volunteers from Meals on Wheels and distributed to Gabriolans in need. On Wednesdays during the school year, People for a Healthy Community (PHC) prepares hot lunches for students across the street at Gabriola Elementary School.
And anyone in need of a place to can their summer produce or prep for an upcoming wedding in their backyard can, for a reasonable fee, book the kitchen for their own use.
This month, look for workshops on bread baking and holiday cookie baking.
Contact kitchen@gabriolacommons.ca for inquiries.
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