Member Column-Community Gardens in LW
by Camille Thompson
GRF Director, Mutual 8
About 48 years ago, in 1975, a gentleman wrote in the Leisure World classifieds, “Interested in a community garden?” Within a year, a garden was located at Northgate/Beverly Manor, across from the fire department. The consequent garden was in the newspaper, in sales brochures and active as a gathering place for residents. In 1988, the garden moved west inside the fences, next to the 405/22 East onramp of the freeway. The 1.8 acres site had started. The big trash bins were added in 1991. The community gardens stayed there until December 2020. During 2021, the gardens were removed.
Now, there is a plan and proposal to bring the gardens back. The costs have doubled since 2020, but the gardens will not raise monthly assessments. Garden construction will come from the capital fund. It is not raising the monthly fees. The Ad Hoc Committee for the 1.8-acre site has worked on this issue for one-and-a-half years. It is going to recommend a funding of over 400K to grade, plumb, add water back to the site, create outlines for 250 garden plots and provide the basic plots for 25-50 American with Disability gardeners (ADA) on flat surfaces. This is a 30-50% increase of costs in years from when the garden were torn down. It's awful.
Eating good cheap food is a priority in the recent Leisure World survey. The monetary value of food raised is probably $30,000-plus a year for the gardeners and their friends who receive vegetables.
Gardens allow stress reduction, relaxation, general health benefits and a destination place to meet people. Gardens are not language based work; therefore, many cultures laugh and trade together with a common bond, food and fun. It’s good to leave your club meeting with something to share, as many of our clubs here already do daily. We are a community of giving people.
The vote to restore the community gardens will be at the GRF Board meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 28, at 10 a.m. in Clubhouse 4. Please sign a slip to speak and tell the GRF Board what you think and feel. The item will appear in the GRF Agenda printed in the newspaper.
