Available Community Garden Spots
Click to Enlarge - Diamonds are available spots in our area.
“This program allows the City to offer its residents something with immeasurable value – the opportunity to grow healthy food in their own neighborhoods,” said Mayor Jones. “This in turn creates a cycle of healthy behavior throughout the community. Neighbors will not only become healthier through the foods they eat, they will also get to know each other, strengthening community ties. Children will get to see where food comes from and be more excited about eating a healthy diet. Residents will take back vacant lots from possible criminal behavior and businesses will want to locate to these vibrant, safe, healthy neighborhoods.”
While the concept of Community Gardens is good, the City has not done adequate research on the plots it offers for the project. For example, the plots at 801, 805, and 807 W. 44th St. are marked as being good garden sites and not requiring raised beds, but:
(a)801 floods frequently. If Reedy Creek doesn’t overflow its banks, rain water washes down the street and pools over most of the area.
(b) From mid-morning on, it is completely shaded. Unles someone wants to do a shade garden, it is not suitable for vegetables.
(c) All 3 plots are full of debris from when the City tore down the houses. Cinder blocks, bricks, and concrete slabs protrude through the soil. Driveways of asphalt and rock are just under the grass and block adequate root growth.
If the other sites have similar problems, this will not be a successful project.