New community garden coming to Memorial Park sponsored by Euclid Parks & Recreation

Plans are forging ahead for breaking new ground in Euclid. In May, the Memorial Park Community Garden Committee formed to initiate the city’s second community garden.

The City of Euclid has committed a piece of land in Memorial Park, and committee members are itching to get their hands in the soil. But first, they are working hard to create a solid foundation for the organization. With the help of OSU Extension employees and advice from experienced workers from the city, the committee has put together preliminary bylaws and an initial working design of the site, which will include a 2-3 year implementation plan.

At this point, the plan includes 52 garden beds of assorted sizes; ranging from three feet by four feet, to 10 feet by 20 feet, in order to accommodate all levels of gardening experience.

Eight beds, when built, will be handicapped accessible and two will be dedicated to growing food for the Euclid Hunger Center. The remaining 42 beds will be ready to garden by the residents of Euclid as they become available, on a first come, first serve basis for a nominal annual fee per bed of $10.

The first part of our plan is to hook up to the water supply, which the city has generously made available to the community garden. With assistance from the city, a selected area will be tilled and leveled. By fall’s end we hope to have the first garden beds staked out and paths covered in wood chips supplied by the city, and by spring, to open up the garden to those interested. In the future, we will be looking to write grants and solicit sponsors in order implement different aspects of the plan.

Those of us on the Memorial Park Community Garden planning committee have a wide range of collective gardening experience, from many years growing vegetables in the back yard, to professional horticultural experience and community gardening. We are excited about being part of such a positive project, and are looking forward to seeing the seeds of our project take root.

For more information, please contact Loraine Zupanic, (216) 289-8165 or lzupancic@cityofeuclid.com.