[Community_garden] CT Community Garden Revitalized

[adam36055 at aol.com]

  Community garden revitalized, replanted
RICHARD WEIZEL rweizel at ctpost.com
Connecticut Post Online
Article Launched:10/29/2006 07:43:25 AM EST

BRIDGEPORT Luis Sanchez, 61, grew up on a farm in Puerto Rico and can't remember a time when he didn't have a garden to tend. 
For the past nine years Sanchez, of Pembroke Street, carefully cultivated a garden of vegetables such as squash, tomatoes, onions, large green pumpkins and a colorful array of flowers at a city Community Garden at 417 Park Street. 
But that land, along with another community garden parcel on Maple Street was "mistakenly and unfortunately" sold by the city, according to Bridgeport Mayor John M. Fabrizi and Chief Administrative Officer Mike Feeney. 
That has left about 30 poor and working class families without a place to grow cheap, but nutritious vegetables they depend on for daily meals, some of the mayor's critics say. 
Original plans were to sell as many as 10 community gardens for private and commercial development, but those plans were shelved after strong community opposition. 
While community leaders are still outraged the city sold even two of the gardens, they recently joined with Sanchez, city officials and about 15 students from Sacred Heart University to create a new garden on a desolate, weed-covered parcel at the corner of Arctic and Brook Streets. 
State Rep. Lydia Martinez, D-128, and Bridgeport Councilwoman Maria Valle said they were upset some the longtime gardens were sold, but the new one "at least offers hope to some people in the community." 
After four hours of work on a warm, sunny morning last Saturday, the 5,000-square-foot Arctic Street "eyesore" was transformed into a plot of land ready for 10 new gardens that will be planted next spring, said Bob Halstead, a city planner who is also president of the newly formed Bridgeport Community Land Trust. 
"I was very upset the other gardens were sold, and I think the city made a bad decision selling them," said Halstead, who contributed materials and supplies to help create the new garden. 
But Fabrizi and Feeney said Friday the city is evaluating which gardens should be sold because of lack of use. 
"There's plenty of blame to go around for the selling of two community gardens that we didn't want sold, including the council and city administrators who didn't take them off the for sale list," Fabrizi said. "But this is just another example of my political enemies taking a cheap shot." 
Halstead had a positive outlook. 
"It's amazing what these students have done out here today to transform this piece of property from a blight on the community to a living parcel ready to be used as new gardens," he said Saturday. 
Sanchez, a handyman who lives down the road, will be the "garden captain," helping to recruit other members of the community and teaching newcomers how to plant, grow and maintain vegetables and flowers. 
"I was devastated when we were told the Park Street garden was sold and that we would not be able to keep our vegetables and flowers there anymore," Sanchez said through an interpreter Saturday, as he helped to pick up weeds, and lay mulch and top soil at the new garden. 
"We don't know why the city had to sell the other gardens, but we are very happy to have this new one and hope people will get involved and help to maintain it," Sanchez said. But Martinez and Valle said the new garden must be used by local residents for it to be successful. They pointed out the site had been used as a community garden until about five years ago when residents abandoned it. 
"The most important part of making any of these gardens successful is community input," said Martinez. "Without that, it just won't work." 
Halstead and Christine Cook, a professional landscaper from Easton and vice president of the Bridgeport Community Land Trust, said the new garden could not have been created without the help of the Sacred Heart students. 
"It was very labor intensive and wasn't something we could have afforded," Cook said. "But with the students helping out we were able to pretty much clear the parcels and have them ready for planting in March or April." 
About 15 Sacred Heart University students who spent the morning clearing weeds, digging and removing old dirt and helping to lay mulch and top soil, said it gave them a feeling of accomplishment to create new gardens in four hours. 
"I'm majoring in social work and I feel that by helping out on these kinds of projects we are making a real contribution to society, not just sitting back and talking about it," said 19-year-old Breana Hart, of Milford, a sophomore at SHU. 
Craig DiSteffano, 21, a SHU senior, said he and six other members of his fraternity, Lambda Sigma Phi, donated their time to help. 
"This is great, being out in the fresh air on a sunny Saturday morning and helping to create something that will help people for many years," DiStefano said. "Whenever we drive by here, we can take pride in knowing we helped create this." 
For further information or to sign up for one of the gardens contact Halstead at 576-8356, or Sanchez at 382-1374
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