Residents of Commerce who don’t have a place to grow squash, tomatoes or flowers will get the opportunity to have a garden this year.
The Commerce City Council announced at its Monday work session that the “Community Gardens of Commerce,” a project initiated by Carson Street resident Forrest Green, will become a reality this spring.
City manager Clarence Bryant said the Harmony Grove Foundation has donated use of a 100 by 90 area adjacent to the old Bi-Lo Shopping Center (behind Mike’s Quick Stop) on South Elm Street for the project. The property has room for 20 15x20 garden spots.
“They told us if we need more, we can have it too,” said Bryant.
Signs and flyers are being designed, and Green will coordinate the project and be the public contact person. Prospective gardeners will register for one or more garden plots, paying $20 apiece per garden season. The city will provide a water source.
Access will be through the old shopping center parking lot, then over a clay bank, over which the city plans to erect steps.
Green appeared before the city council in March to request space for the project.
No one is quite sure what the demand will be. Similar projects in other communities have been well received.
“We may have two people that want it, or we may have 20 that want four or five,” Bryant said. “I suspect we will have four or five the first year.”
Arrangements have been made to plow, then till up the area, after which city employees will mark off the individual plots. The cost to the city is expected to be negligible, according to Bryant.
“I told Mr. Green we have to keep it within those parameters,” Bryant said.
safe? Is there any area better?