Por JEFF CLEMETSON<\/p>\n
An old saying goes: \u201cApril showers bring May flowers.\u201d And while April did not bring the precipitation promised in the first half of the traditional rhyme, the La Mesa Park & Recreation Foundation did its part to deliver on the second half when it held its grand opening for the La Mesa Community Garden on May 1.<\/p>\n
The garden, located at the former putting green and golf club house at MacArthur Park, has been a long-awaited amenity for the city\u2019s gardening enthusiasts \u2014 especially those living in apartments or condos who lack a yard of their own.<\/p>\n
Rick Martin has been waiting for a community garden to open in La Mesa since moving here 10 years ago. When he first arrived and inquired about a community garden, he was told to put his name down on what he thought was a wait list, but turned out to be a petition to set the city to start a garden. Over the years, he watched many attempts at a community garden fail, including a proposed garden at Helix High School and another at a local church that ultimately failed because some parishioners were against the idea. Martin speculates that people thought a garden would invite \u201cthe wrong people, homeless people, drug addicts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martin became involved in a group he called the Community Garden Network that advocates for forming community gardens. Since he moved to La Mesa over a decade ago, he said there have been lots of changes in attitudes toward community gardens and other farming hobbies like raising backyard chickens.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of that red tape got cut and all of a sudden you\u2019re seeing community gardens all over the county.\u201d He said. \u201cFinally it dawned on our city there\u2019s people in need of it \u2014 that, wow, this is really helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martin said he is very happy to have his plot at the La Mesa Community Garden because his apartment manager was against him starting a garden at his complex. For him, gardening is a healthy way to stay grounded and connect with the earth.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is nourishing,\u201d he said. \u201cAnything that goes bad in your life, guess what, go to your garden. If it\u2019s not in your house, go to your community garden, and if you don\u2019t have one, help somebody out who does have one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n La Mesa resident Susan Wong also got a plot due to constraints of living in a condo without a yard.<\/p>\n \u201cI have two balconies but this is good opportunity,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Wong said she enjoys community gardening because it is a chance to be outside and to meet other people. \u201cAnd just hanging out, gives me something to do,\u201d she said, adding that she feel lucky to have one of the plots to grow her tomatoes, squash, corn and flowers. \u201cI think [the community garden] is very nice. I was amazed I got chosen.\u201d<\/p>\n When the garden opened on May 1, there were 40 plots and all were taken by the 40 people who signed up for one.<\/p>\n \u201cWe didn\u2019t know if we\u2019d have to do a lottery but we had just enough applications as we had beds,\u201d said La Mesa Park & Recreation Foundation Community Garden chair Michelle Langdon. Since then, demand for a plot has created a waitlist and additional plots are being installed, including ADA accessible plots.<\/p>\n Other future plans for the garden include hosting workshops with master gardeners and other educational opportunities.<\/p>\n The community garden was made possible through grant funding, including a $30,000 grant from The San Diego Foundation and a $5,000 grant from the San Diego Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. EDCO, The Cushman Family Foundation, Laurie MacDonald of Coldwell Banker West and La Mesa Sunrise Rotary also contributed to the garden through founder level sponsorships.<\/p>\n Garden plots cost $100 per year and water and electricity for the garden storage area \u2014 the old golf clubhouse \u2014 is paid for by the city.<\/p>\n For additional information about the garden, contact LaMesaCG@gmail.com<\/a> o visitar www.lamesaparks.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n