Waterville Food Workshop – Urban Design Cooperative

WFW, a community kitchen and market, will be constructed in the City of Waterville to address issues of food insecurity, enhance community relations, and increase health initiatives and education. Bi-weekly fresh market and cooking classes for residents of all ages will be held in this newly renovated accessible space.

WHAT?

Waterville Food Workshop (WFW), a fresh mobile food market and community kitchen, will work to combat food insecurity in Waterville by helping to educate and feed those struggling. This project will include:

A state-of-the-art prep kitchen fully stocked with equipment will be constructed and available for public use for Waterville residents.
A convertible space for a community market during the day that hosts the weekly winter farmers market, and a dining area at night with communal tables and a sitting area.
Free semi-weekly cooking classes led by local chefs from the greater Waterville area and community members will teach cooking skills and introduce new recipes and flavors to the greater Waterville community, establishing tighter community bonds and intercultural exchange.
This space will be available to rent out for local food businesses and startups, neighborhood schools, or anyone interested in hosting cooking or food related events.
A mobile food truck market that brings fresh produce to the people of Waterville at affordable costs.

Inspiration

Fresh Seasonal Farmers Market

It\’s hard to know how to use seasonal fresh produce. WFW would teach individuals how to best utilize produce of the month to create healthy meals. (Image found at maxpixel.net)

What is a Community Kitchen?

WFW will free hold bi-weekly community cooking classes for Waterville residents to learn basic cooking skills, new recipies, and healthy tricks to foster life long habits. (Image found at WikimediaCommons.com)

KFC Land Plot Example

Flipping the fast food restaurant into a center for healthy, yet affordable eating promotes the idea that fresh eating can be just as easy and fun when you know how to do it! The KFC in the South End would help us accomplish just that. (Image found at Pixabay.com)

Fresh Mobile Market

Our mobile market will take a healthy spin on the iconic ice cream truck. The fresh mobile market will travel around different neighborhoods in Waterville to make local produce widely accessible. (Image found at pxhere.com)

WFW Community Cookbook

As WFW grows, we hope to collect a variety of cultured recipies from local chefs, farmers, and anyone with a culinary passion. (Image adapted from publicdomainpictures.net)

WHERE?

In order to best tackle the issue of food insecurity in Waterville, WFW will be located in a widely accessible spot to those who need it the most. The old KFC in the South End is an ideal site for WFW to set up shop. Many of the individuals and families who struggle with food insecurity are within walking distance, while other consumers of the market are only a short car ride away. As WFW expands, a fresh market food truck will travel from neighborhood to neighborhood selling local goods at a reasonable price so that everyone all across the city will have access the clean ingredients. This location will help promote the core of what WFW is all about.

WHO?

Waterville already has several fantastic programs that target the issue of food insecurity to some degree. However, none of these organizations combat every aspect of the problem in one location. WFW focusing on helping individuals of all ages overcome food insecurity by teaching them life long healthy cooking skills for produce in all seasons and provides them with meals. In order to do this successfully, WFW will aim to partner with existing organizations like food banks, soup kitchens, children\’s programs, local farmers markets and more. By uniting all of these various programs, the issue of food insecurity in Waterville can finally be tackled.

Community Partners:

WHY?

The construction of a community kitchen in Waterville’s South End could be a step in combating food insecurity and strengthening community relations all while supporting intercultural exchange. Food security in Waterville is a prominent issue and needs to be addressed. This kitchen has the potential to be a key part of the solution. WFW will spur business in the area by bringing new life to the South End, help those in need, provide education on how to prepare difficult seasonal produce, and teach individuals lifelong healthy hacks. Following the completion of this project, residents will have access to an ensured meal several times a week and the resources to cook other days. The development of WFW can be understood through exploring current and existing practices that aim to address food insecurity. The kitchen is a place to bond over a shared passion for food, leading to the formation of new friendships and heightened connections, ultimately strengthening the Waterville community.

(Image found at https://pixabay.com/en/earth-watercolor-paint-splatter-2336011/)

Fall

Squash has tons of nutritional values and comes in so many shapes and sizes, but they are hard to cook!

Learn how to tackle squash here!

(Image found at geograph.org.uk/photo/1072841)

$Beets are one of Maine\'s most prominant winter vegtables, but how does one prepare them?$

Winter

Beets are one of Maine\’s most prominant winter vegtables, but how does one prepare them?

Learn beet hacks here!

(Image found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/alicehenneman/5873961502)

Spring

Asparagus is a unique ingredient that is extremely prominant in Maine during the spring months. However, it can be tricky to prepare!

6 asparagus tips here!

(Image found at https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/roasted_asparagus/)

$Zucchini is a vegtable many are familair with, but don\'t always know how to use in a creative and flavorful way that can make healthy eating fun.$

Summer

Zucchini is a vegtable many are familair with, but don\’t always know how to use in a creative and flavorful way that can make healthy eating fun.

Here are 3 zucchini tricks!

(Image found at https://www.maxpixel.net/Harvest-Zucchini-Garden-Green-Vegetables-Bio-1659094)