The Ísafjörður Municipality is changing the town plans to include a cable car to Eyrarfjall, including a parking lot, road and a building. Part of the proposed area for the gondola, is the soil where Gróandi has been growing sustainable herbs, vegetables and berries with and for the folks in town for the last ten years.  All schoolkids in town have been learning how to grow food in this growing area as a part of their education in Grunnskólinn a Ísafirði. While tending to and caring for this land, it has gifted us with community and healthy food. 

 

This winter we were surprised that the town office did not mention or contact Gróandi in the planning process. These plans are still in early stages and we want to collaborate with the town planning office to preserve the Gróandi growing area. A decade ago the Ísafjörður Municipality offered this area and we are still up for growing food there and caring for it.  This growing area brings nature connection, health and sustainability to Ísafjöður. Gróandi is a gem; a part of what makes Ísafjörður so special.

 

Check out the town website on the areal plan proposal. 

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Lots of people send in comments on this areal plan proposal!  We were hopeful that Góandi would be included and that they would take into consideration all these comments, both from inhabitants in Ísafjörður and people that have come to Gróandi to learn about sustainable growing methods.

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Now quite a few months have past, Ísafjarðarbær municipality has through their meeting documents, shown that they want Eyrarkláfur to reduce the number of parking spots, to accomodate inhabitant's worries about traffic.  They don't mention the inhabitants worries about Gróandi.  There's no mentioning of that there's a need to reduce the area that is being planned, in order to not destroy Gróandi's growing areas.  There's enough space in this area, it is more than possible to build a gondola lyft and parking, without planning over the area where Gróandi is producing food for the people in town.

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Folks in Eyrarkláfur gondola company act as if Gróandi will be moved, even though it has been clear from the start that it is not possible.  We told them in a coffee meeting, in community meeting that Gróandi held last winter and in a residents meeting that Eyrarkláfur held this summer.  Gróandi will not be moved, or built up somewhere else.  If Ísafjarðarbær decides to plan this whole area for a gondola lift, then we'll stop growing food for the inhabitants and keeping growing areas for the schoolkids.  And if that's their plan, then it would be great to know that as soon as possible, so that the folks keeping Gróandi up and running can replan their time commitments for the next year and the years ahead.

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