Painting 43: Cypress Community Garden in Kits (Vancouver)

As I walk to yoga class on Saturdays I pass by this community garden called Cypress Community Garden.  One day I had forgotten my umbrella from a restaurant I ate at after yoga class, and in the back of my mind I've been itching to draw this scene in my sketchbook. So as I get pick up my umbrella, I say fuck it. I'm going to draw in Cypress Community Gardens.  I've been fascinated with the idea that the community build a beautiful garden on the old train tracks.  I loved how the grass grew on top of the tracks and how the people in the neighborhood started to build something beautiful from something that was long abandoned.  I always smile when I pass by.
As I started to draw this scene, my roommate Marissa passed by to hang out. So I decided to add her in my sketch.
The following weekends I decided that I really wanted to continue with making a painting in the same area as my drawing.  So I did just that.  I had some challenges with the change of light and weather.  But nonetheless I'm happy with this study.  I met a lot of locals that were so supportive and kind.  I also met an occasional weirdo or overly opinionated personality, but it comes with the territory.  A lot of people started to show interest to painting with me. So that is always a plus!
Though in a different note, as I became more familiar to the area.  I slowly found out through the local residents that this community garden was in danger of being taken away from them by CP Rail (Canadian Pacific Railway).  CP had warned residents along the track that it was restarting operations on the line and that they must remove their gardens from the land before it would be removed for them.  I was saddened to hear that something that is so beautiful and that brings the community together and helps the environment may be taken by the locals.  The more stories I would hear by the locals and passion that the residents had for this garden, I knew I wanted to paint this area before it was too late.