Here’s Some News to Warm Up With!
It may be cold and snowy outside now, but in just a few months, spring will return, and this spring will bring another comeback of sorts – the opening of the brand new community gardens.
Set to re-launch in a new location – a neighborhood setting on the east side of Van Roberts – the gardens will feature a new design and updated features. One of the most notable changes in the gardens will be raised beds. The four foot by eight foot beds will offer flexible configurations for customization by users and will be set within gravel footpaths for ease of access and maintenance.
The half-acre site will hold 60 beds, and will also include a secure tool shed and work bench, multiple water sources, a parking lot, plus handicapped accessible garden beds. The space will be landscaped to fit in with the surrounding neighborhood, and the entire site will be enclosed by deer-proof fencing. The $137,697 project was funded in large part through a $115,000 Community Development Block Grant.
The new gardens are welcome news for Wyoming gardeners who lost their longtime garden location near North Park when the Hike/Bike Trail was extended to Oak Park in 2016. A task force was established at the time to find a new location and lay the groundwork for opening the gardens once again.
The design and location for the new community gardens was the result of hours of research and planning by the Community Garden Task Force. Caroline Ammerman, a Wyoming resident and longtime community gardener who worked with the task force, said the group looked at community garden sites around the country to come up with a vision and concept for Wyoming.
“When you’re looking at gardens that are part of a residential community, aesthetics are important,” she says. “This design will complement the neighborhood, not detract from it.”
Ammerman also says the long-range vision for the gardens includes partnering with Wyoming City and school groups to offer projects and classes that incorporate the gardens.
“This is a new day for Wyoming’s community gardeners,” says Ammerman. “The project will be a huge asset for the community and will hopefully inspire a new generation of Wyoming gardeners.”
Applications for bed space are being taken now. Seasonal rental for each bed is $75. For more information about the gardens and to reserve space, contact City Manager Lynn Tetley at ltetley@wyomingohio.gov.
