Adding to Greater Gainesville’s scenic and sustainable green spaces are the Community Gardens. These public plots are set aside for residents in various neighborhoods to grow their own vegetables for consumption and reap the rewards of the seeds they planted.
The History of Community Gardens
Although the program is managed by The City of Gainesville, the individual gardens are coordinated by dedicated volunteers. There are five community gardens: Dreamers’ Garden, Green Acres Park Community Garden, McRorie Community Garden, NE 31st Ave Community Garden, SW 40th Place and SW 30th Terrace Community Garden.
The City of Gainesville began its first Community Gardens Project at Southeast Fourth Avenue in 1998. Since then, the program has grown gardens around Gainesville through partnerships with the City of Gainesville’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department and the dedicated volunteers.
Community Gardening 101
Use of the city gardens is entirely free and open to the public. Residents who are interested in a plot must contact the site coordinator of their preferred garden, fill out a participant agreement and obey the do’s and do-not’s of the Community Gardens. What are the basic guidelines? They include using water wisely and the promotion of organic gardening, as well as strict avoidance of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.
The community gardens’ individual spaces are not large enough to serve as a single food source option. However, they are large enough to unite the community and serve as an educational venue.
Harvesting, Hobbies and More
Community members continue working their plots in their neighborhood gardens not only for food but also for the friendships created by doing so. Many residents have found gardening in the shared space to be therapeutic and rewarding. Many Greater Gainesville residents have made gardening their hobby and enjoy having another excuse to be outdoors. At the same time, families also consider the community gardens an educational opportunity to teach their children a helpful skill and to further support local agriculture.
The Community Gardens is a project that provides more than food. It allows residents to “bloom where they are planted.” By cultivating friendships and gardens, residents reap the rewards of the food, and the community, they have helped to grow.