[Community_garden] Community Garden: Invitation to August Reception and September Meeting

[Alliums]

Hi, Folks!

St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden and Labyrinth at
412 Fairview Street, Phoenixville has been nominated for the Pennsylvania
Horticultural Society's "Community Greening Award."  This is a judged
competition for public gardens in the 5 counties that surround Philadelphia.


 

Since August in the community garden is blisteringly hot, David and Marian
Moskowitz will be hosting a "Cold Beverages and Air Conditioning" reception
for the Horticultural Society's judges at the Franklin Commons immediately
after the judges have made their tour of the garden and labyrinth. We don't
have a date and time yet, but it will be in August and the Horticultural
Society will notify us a few days before the judges arrive.  Anyone who
would like to tour the garden and labyrinth with the judges is welcome to
cool off at the reception afterwards!

 

If you would like to help prepare the garden for the judges, the Perennial
Garden Volunteers meet every Tuesday night from 5:30 pm until dark.  Join us
for weeding and conversation whenever your schedule permits.

 

In September, St. John's United Church of Christ invites the public to a
meeting on September 5, 2007 at 9:30 am in the church (315 Gay Street,
Phoenixville, PA) to discuss the future of the community garden and
labyrinth.

 

As most of you know, the community garden and labyrinth resides on land
owned by the Housing Authority of Chester County.  The lease for this land
expires on August 31, 2009 and to date, the Housing Authority has stated
that it prefers that the community garden and labyrinth be vacated so that
they can build 22-26 public housing units to rent to families. There are
currently 25 units at the Fairview Village Housing Project.

 

So far, the following folks have stated that they will be present at this
meeting:

 

Stephannie Beemer McLimans (State Senator Dinniman's Chief of Staff)

Don Coppedge (Housing Authority of Chester County Board Chair)

Tonya Mitchell-Weston (Housing Authority Executive Director)

Joe Costello (sp?) (Housing Authority Building Director)

Rev. Linda Gruber (Pastor, St. John's United Church of Christ)

Dorene Pasekoff (Garden/Labyrinth Coordinator, St. John's United Church of
Christ)

Charles Booraem (Consistory President, St. John's United Church of Christ)

George Martynick (Phoenixville Planning Commission)

David and Marian Moskowitz (Franklin Commons)

 

If you cannot be present at this meeting, but would like your comments to be
added to the record, please send your message to the Pastor, the Rev. Linda
Gruber, at gruber at stjohnsucc.com or to the church's address at 315 Gay
Street, Phoenixville, PA 19460  If you would like an invitation to speak at
this meeting, please contact the Pastor at gruber at stjohnsucc.com or call St.
John's United Church of Christ at 610-933-5311.

 

The following background documents are available as PDFs to anyone who
wishes to study this issue further.  Simply reply to this e-mail with a list
of whichever documents you would like to receive and they will be e-mailed
to you:

 

*	"Community Gardening on Public Housing Properties: Where, Who, How,
Why and Why Not?" Leslie Provence Master's Thesis for the College of Public
Policy at the University of Texas at San Antonio, May 2007
*	Sketch Plan of proposed 22-26 additional public housing units to
rent to families at the Fairview Housing Project with maps of current
Fairview Village Housing Project and surrounding properties
*	Fairview Village Expansion Grant Proposals to HUD  Grant proposals
from 2005 to the present from the Housing Authority of Chester County to HUD
that describe building 22 to 26  2-, 3-, and 4-bedroom public housing
townhouses for families to rent.  Includes maps, HACC motions, cost
estimates, building plans and schedules.
*	24 CFR, Part 970-Public Housing Program-Demolition or Disposition of
Public Housing Projects explains how HUD real estate can be demolished or
transferred to another entity
*	Chester County Department of Community Development Consolidated Plan
2005-2009 Goal 9 to improve public facilities serving low- and
moderate-income residents of Chester County

 

St. John's United Church of Christ welcomes everyone's input on this
important issue.  In the meantime, we hope to host as many of you as
possible at the community garden/labyrinth and at the Franklin Commons later
this August when the judges arrive.  As soon as PHS lets us know the date
and time, we will send out an e-mail letting you know, too!

 

Sincerely,

 

Dorene Pasekoff, Coordinator

St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden and Labyrinth

 

A mission of 

St. John's United Church of Christ, 315 Gay Street, Phoenixville, PA  19460

 

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