Montgomery Community Garden

April 29, 2010

Montgomery officials hope
community gardens grow
throughout city

By Jill Nolin • April 28, 2010

If the early success of a community garden in west
Montgomery continues, Montgomery residents will
see the concept expanded to other areas of the
city, according to city officials.
Work is well under way for a community garden
planned for two previously vacant lots on Emerson
Street, and if the project stays on track, the garden
could be a bustling place in the Nixon Times
Neighborhood in as soon as a month.
Most of the work so far has been in preparation for
the garden, which has left residents feeling anxious
over when they can get their hands dirty, according
to project coordinator Andrew Cole-Tyson.
"The community is just anticipating when they can
get involved. It's been awesome to watch," said
Cole-Tyson, who works with 2WR and is
volunteering his time to help with the project.
The goal is to turn the property, which in the past
has been used as a cut-through and a magnet for
litter, into a rallying point and meeting spot for the
neighborhood. The site would have a small stage
area that would create a venue for musical shows,
lectures and community meetings.
So far, a group is interested in using the space for a
Bible study and two individuals intend to give
lessons there on how to cook with fresh vegetables.
An art project is also planned for a 35-foot walk that
will be built. An individual has volunteered to
teach neighborhood children how to do mosaics,
which Cole-Tyson noted would give the neigh
borhood youth a constructive project to work on
during the summer break.
Cole-Tyson said the sunflowers grown at the garden
would also be sold for floral arrangements to
generate revenue to sustain the project. He noted
that this would also help to attract more people to
the garden.
As this project continues to come together, the city
is laying the groundwork to create other
neighborhood gardens, such as a "you pick"-style
public garden, and to create a large urban garden
somewhere in downtown. A small community
garden may be started in the Three Points
Neighborhood next to Cottage Hill.
Produce from the urban garden would then be sold.
Some local restaurants have already expressed an
interest in using the locally grown produce at their
businesses, according to Deputy Mayor Jeff Downes.
Mayor Todd Strange has playfully dubbed Downes
the city's community and urban garden czar, but in
many ways the title is deserved. Downes has taken a
keen interest in the concept of using the gardens
to build up neighborhoods in which they are
located.
Downes said Tuesday that he views the Emerson
Street garden as the pilot project for what he hopes
will be a larger scale endeavor for the Capital City.
"My goal is to build a team, find funding and make it
happen," Downes said.
Downes said he is currently focusing his efforts on
creating what he called a "collaborative partnership."
In all likelihood, the city would create the urban
farm but a non-profit, whether new or existing,
would actually operate the farm, Downes said.
The city is working closely with the management at
Jones Valley Urban Farm in Birmingham, which
generates about $125,000 in revenue each year to
put back into the project.
Downes said the city is seeking $40,000 in grant
money to get the project started.
Cole-Tyson said state Rep. Thad McClammy recently
matched a local $1,200 grant for the Emerson Street
garden, which will allow the city to do more, like put
in benches or add another wall for art projects.
Workers are finishing up the preparation work at the
garden, and then the seeds will be sown. Once the
seedlings are ready, residents will transplant the
plants to the garden rows.
 

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