- April 25, 2024
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The effort to have a community garden, where residents would tend and enjoy their own vegetables, is growing in interest. An enthusiastic group of about a dozen people discussed plans at a meeting in the Performing Arts Center on May 1. Half that number attended a previous meeting.
New people at the meeting included representatives of the Ormond Beach Garden Club and the Garden Club of the Halifax Country.
“A lot of our members are snowbirds,” said Sue Parkerson of the Ormond Beach Garden Club. “They live in condos and miss growing things.”
Also in attendance was Swain Strickland, director of community health for Volusia County.
“We want to support community gardens and healthy eating,” he said.
The purpose of the meeting was to select a site for the first garden from four locations in Central Park, but the group threw out several new suggestions. The participants want to encourage community involvement, and discussed having it in a highly visible area, such as on Granada Boulevard or near a neighborhood or school.
The group decided to discuss all of the suggestions at the next meeting, set for 5:30 p.m. on May 15 in the conference room at the Performing Arts Center.
Any potential site would need 80% sunlight and available water.
The group also has its first business sponsor, the Subway at 1186 W. Granada Blvd., which donated sandwiches for the meeting and has expressed an interest in supporting the garden.
“They want to be involved,” said Maryann Zeledon, recreation specialist, who is acting as liaison with the city. “They believe in healthy eating and the fresh food concept.”
The project is supported by the city, but volunteers are expected to plant and care for the garden, which would also have plants to attract butterflies.
“We want to get more people involved who have a love for gardening,” Zeledon said.
Robert Carolin, Leisure Service director, said the city would support the effort by providing material, equipment and irrigation, and helping with permitting.
He said that he saw 250 concrete blocks left over after construction of the new field house at the Sports Complex, and they could be used to support an elevated garden.
“We’re one step closer,” he said.
It was decided at an earlier meeting that an elevated garden would make it easier for seniors to tend the vegetables.
For questions about the community garden project or meetings, call 676-3293.
