By: Deborah Johnson Wood
The Heartside Peace Garden has left its hallowed planting ground of ten years on the corner of Commerce and Wealthy Streets. That land will soon be part of the new Loose Leaf Lofts.
The HPG committee worked with the City Parks and Recreation department to establish a new gardening space at Heartside Park. The new garden consists of six 8-foot by 4-foot raised beds built by HPG members, volunteers from the Greater Grand Rapids Food Systems Council, and student volunteers from Aquinas College.
Traditionally, the garden has been open to homeless persons and residents who wish to grow their own food. But the new, smaller space has prompted some changes.
“With the limited space, we are going to use all of the garden for community demonstration for the first year,” said Travis Stephen Childs, chairperson of the Heartside Peace Garden committee. “We’ll work with Heartside organizations and residents teaching them how to plant vegetables, care for them organically, and harvest them. We aim to change peoples’ minds about growing food within the city.”
The harvest will include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, melons, salad greens, and herbs.
The veggies will go to The Hard Times Café, a free weekly dinner at the Westminster Presbyterian Church for persons and families who are down on their luck, to supplement their menus and keep costs down.
“The whole community will benefit,” Childs said, “because this is a demonstration of how community gardening works on city property. It’s empowering.”
An official garden opening event will be held on June 4 at the park.
Source: Travis Stephen Childs, Heartside Peace Garden
Deborah Johnson Wood is Development News Editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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