anacortes community gardens a community partnership
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Anacortes Community Gardens A Community Partnership. During World War I and II, millions of Americans planted Victory Gardens to help with the war effort In 1943, 20 million food gardens were planted in the U.S. Community “victory” gardens are popular again today. What is a community garden?. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Anacortes Community Anacortes Community GardensGardens
A Community Partnership A Community Partnership
During World War I and II, millions of Americans planted Victory Gardens to help with the war effort
In 1943, 20 million food gardens were planted in the U.S.
Community “victory” gardens are popular again today
What is a community garden?
Any piece of land gardened by a group of peopleBuilt on public or privately owned spaceGardeners grow their own food or ornamental plantsProvides nutritious food & builds healthy communities Supports food security for low income familiesCommunity gardens come in many shapes and sizes
Did you know?
Community gardens can:•Improve neighborhoods•Increase property values•Revitalize disadvantaged areas•Act as a catalyst for economic development
"We find that the opening of a community garden has a statistically significant positive impact on residential properties within 1000 feet of the garden, and that the impact increases over time… Finally, we find that the opening of a garden is associated with other changes in the neighborhood, such as increasing rates of homeownership, and thus may be serving as catalysts for economic redevelopment of the community.“
Paul Hughes Calgary Food Policy Council
Enhancing local food security Supporting our local food banks Helping low-income neighbors grow their own food
Providing a community recreation opportunityProviding community education
Gardening methods, plant selection, compostingFood preservation methods
Produce above was delivered to our local Anacortes 100 and Salvation Army
Food Banks
Ourgarden
is …
A Community Partnership
The City of Anacortes and Transition Fidalgo & Friends (formerly Skagit Beat the Heat) formed a partnership to develop and operate one or more community gardensA formal Memorandum of Agreement spells out each
organizations commitments and responsibilitiesACG Advisory Committee guides the long term
goals and operation of the community garden program
Partnership – Cont’d
City of Anacortes provides:Land, water, port-a-pottyLiability insurance coverageDeliveries of compost, mulch, rocksStaff and equipment support for some maintenance
workParks & Recreation “Menu” guide publishes activities
Transition Fidalgo & Friends provides:Leadership of the City’s Advisory CommitteeFinancial and operations management of the gardenManagement of application process & waitlistCommunications –newsletter, publicity, presentationsACG Website – http://anacortescommunitygardens.org
Composting area and classes provided by Skagit County
Building the Garden - 2009
Auto Magic award provided “seed” money for projectBeat the Heat raised money and organized
volunteersCity supplied some labor and materialsLocal businesses donated materials
Community support has been phenomenalSkagit Beat the HeatWSU Master GardenersService clubsLocal businessesLocal newspaperHospitalIndividuals
We hope this will be the first of several
community gardens developed by the City of Anacortes
and Transition Fidalgo & Friends
29th Street
28th Street
San Juan
LanesBowling
Alley
BayviewApartment
s
Existing Playfield
2929thth Street Street Community Community
GardenGarden
•~
29th Street
We had a plan …• Social marketing important• 80’ x 100’ fenced garden is
located on City Park property• Water provided free• Shed & community tools• Compost area • Onsite education• Curtain drain added by City
• Full or half plots available• 12 ea 10’ x 24’ plots• Two food bank plots• Six children's plots• Five ADA raised beds with
packed gravel pathways• Handicap parking spaces
• Maintenance• Gardeners maintain common
areas (8 hours/year required)
How it works – the admin stuff
Advisory Committee meets bi-monthlyReviews finances; future planning
Applications are renewed annuallyRules and applications on websitesGarden Committee oversees activitiesGardeners sign “rules”
acknowledgement and liability waiver annually Current gardeners have first right of
refusal (if they fulfilled their 8 volunteer hours)
If no plot available, placed on waitlistPlot fees spent for maintenance and
upgrades to the gardenGarden Committee submits budget to
the Advisory Committee for review
29th Street Garden photos by Dana Styber
2010 Accessible
Garden Addition
A BIG THANKS to WA Conservation
Corp & Kiwanis Sunrisers
The work was hard…
29th Street Garden photos by Dana Styber
But worth it!29th Street Garden photos by Dana Styber
In 2009, Skagit Beat the Heat started Eat Your Yard, a companion lawn conversion projectPromoting converting CO2 intensive lawns to garden
spaceVeggie U classes at Anacortes LibraryProviding demonstration workshops at 29th Street
Garden
For More Informat
ion
Contact Advisory Committee:Betty Carteret, Committee ChairJonn Lunsford Anacortes Parks Dept.
Visit garden websites at: http://anacortescommunitygardens.org
http://acga.localharvest.org/garden/M2514
Learn more about Eat Your Yard at http://anacortescommunitygardens.org/eat-your-yard.html