Community Garden

This is a sketch of a proposed Community at the City Parking lot on Spruce Street between

49th Street and St Bernard. Maybe someone can succeed where I could not. It is an eyesore that the community can and should create to be a benefit for all but most of all for the kids!! Lets not wait another 10 years. This idea is just one but I am sure there are others :)

Agenda for discussion with Reverend Jenkins of Beulah Baptist Church
Re: Proposal for community garden
Tuesday April 9, 2002

The Friends of Barkan Park would like to put forth for consideration turning approximately one third of the parking lot next to the park into a community garden (100 feet along St. Bernard Street and 50 feet along Spruce Street. The total size will be 100x300 feet. A fence with a locked gate would enclose the garden. Only members would have access. A children’s garden area would be made available to Beulah and Monumental Baptist Churches as well as Montessori and First Years child care centers.

1. We believe that a community garden will sharply reduce nuisance and illegal
activities in and around Barkan Park and the parking lot.
A. Increased safety in the area will enhance the community at large
B. Other area community gardens have attracted responsible people who become spare eyes and ears for the community
2. Community Gardens provide healthy outside recreation for the elderly and
for parents who are home with young children
A. The community garden would be a place for educational, supervised children’s activities

3. We see a community garden as a place to build friendships and reward volunteerism.
4. We think there are pluses such as the removal of wind-blown litter and addition of gardening ambassadors in our neighborhood
5. Our goal is to see a greater diversity in the age of people who are more comfortable in the park
Gardening brings many benefits to individuals, families and neighborhoods.


As one child wrote:

“ I think that we should have this community garden around the neighborhood because we need something to do around here that is fun. I like nice things in our area then the bad things. So if you can help us, we would be thankful for the support.”

The plan for West Philadelphia speaks about the parking lot. It was published June 1994.

The Plan for West Philadelphia is a guide for future growth and development; an essential information resource for communities and citizens that will be used by decision-makers involved in neighborhood revitalization and economic development.
The Plan for West Philadelphia is presented by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. The original hardcopy version, available in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, was first published in June, 1994.
For additional information about the Plan for West Philadelphia, contact:
PHILADELPHIA CITY PLANNING COMMISSION17th Floor, 1515 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102 (215) 686-4607, FAX: (215) 686-2939 or

http://www.penn-partners.org/wp/plan/

"As another publicly-owned community facility, the adjacent parking lot is part of the node at this location. The lot is seldom used by shoppers, but it is used on Saturdays for a flea market and on Sunday by a nearby church. The parking lot is surrounded by a four foot masonry wall which obstructs vision just enough to create another popular spot for nighttime loitering. This wall should be removed by the City and replaced with a fence that simulates the appearance of wrought iron. The church should be encouraged to take over responsibility for maintenance and landscaping. "