Tenants at a Vancouver West End apartment building have started an online petition to save their community garden.

They are opposing a plan by the company owning Villa Contessa to landscape the garden in front of 1433 Burnaby Street property.

“This community garden has become an icon of Burnaby street,” the petition reads. “The garden is highly valued by its residents and neighbors.”

The petition has generated 100 supporters as mid-afternoon Wednesday (March 27).

According to the petition, the garden is an “informal meeting spot for many tenants to socialize and create a sense of community”.

It recalled that property owner MetCap Living notified tenants on Monday (March 25) to remove the garden.

Villa Contessa is an eight-storey building with 30 rental units.

The MetCap notice told residents to remove plants and fixtures from the garden by Tuesday (April 2).

After that date, tenants will no longer be allowed to access the spot at the west side of the building.

“This area will be landscaped,” the notice stated.

The garden is used to grow vegetables and ornamental plants.