The city of College Park is considering adding a community garden to Davis Field in the city’s Hollywood Neighborhood, city staff and council members said at a meeting Tuesday.
The city operates one community garden in the Hollywood neighborhood and another in the Old Town neighborhood. The potential garden in Davis Field would replace the Hollywood Community Garden, which needs upgrades, according to a presentation given at Tuesday’s council meeting.
The new garden would be on Davis Field between Iroquois and Kenesaw streets, according to a Tuesday city council discussion.
The Hollywood garden, which sits on private property leased by the city along Rhode Island Avenue, is “deteriorating” and not viable for continued use, community development planner Erik Valentine said.
The city is no longer able to get water access for the Hollywood garden and the fence is weakening, according to District 1 council member Alan Hew.
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The move to Davis Field would also save money for the city and is a better location for prospective gardeners away from the fumes of busy roads, District 1 council member Jacob Hernandez said.
Preliminary estimates say the new garden would cost the city more than $23,000, but Valentine said this may be an overestimate.
The proposed garden would have 15 plots — the same amount as the current Hollywood garden, according to Valentine.
Residents are able to rent out plots in the two current gardens to grow their own food. In the new garden, the city would follow its protocol for each new growing season and give rental priority to returning gardeners for reservations before opening applications to the public, Valentine said.
Hernandez said he supports the new community garden location. Area gardens have become a gathering place for community members, he added.
“It provides an opportunity for folks to continue to engage with their neighbors, but also foster a community,” Hernandez said.
City planning staff presented the garden proposal to the North College Park Community Association on Feb. 8.
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While Valentine said the association was mostly supportive of the move, members were concerned about the limited amount of parking around Davis Field and the loss of some play field area for children. Some questioned the necessity of a community garden, he added.
To address community concerns about the loss of field area, city staff revised plans so the garden is more out of the way of children, Valentine said.
Valentine also pointed out that in past years, the Hollywood garden’s plots have reached full capacity multiple times and a waitlist was created.
Valentine said the proposed site would also feature permaculture — a design process that incorporates an ecosystem’s natural features — and native pollinator plants.
The city planning department will collaborate with the city’s Bee City USA committee, which is in talks with the city about possibly providing native pollinator plants for the new garden, according to Valentine.
Community gardens provide a key space for neighbors to learn about where their food comes from and come together, Hew said. They’re also beneficial as an outdoor area for residents in multifamily units, he added.
“This allows them to… teach your families, your children where their food comes from,” Hew said. “This is a great way to supplement their diet and income.”
The city planning department will present an updated version of its plan to the North College Park Community Association before returning to the council for official action, according to Tuesday’s presentation.
