Eastside Community Garden Work Party

Successful work party to clean-up the new Eastside Community Garden, April 27th. A Special thank you goes to Bellarmine High students and teachers, and to Habitat for Humanity for organizing the garden clean-up.

We have two community garden sites on Portland Avenue. For this work party we primarily worked on the property at 32nd Street, owned by the Puyallup Tribe. They're working with the community and neighbors to help make a successful garden.

This work was focused on removing blackberry roots as well as bricks and cement on the property. The tree planters along Portland Avenue were weeded and are ready for some beautiful plants. The grass was also cut in the parking area between our two gardens.

There's still work to be done, if you have time stop by the garden and grub out a blackberry root or two. No need to wait for a work party, however rumor has it that on Friday morning, May 7th, you might see some neighbors out working at the garden site.
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First Creek Neighborhood Clean-up

It's Spring Clean-up time around First Creek. Join the fun and make our neighborhood better and cleaner on Saturday, April 24th, from 10-1. The City of Tacoma and the Puyallup Tribe are being dumpsters to us and you can drop-off stuff you want to get rid of. There are some rules like what you can and cannot bring, and you have to show ID that indicates you are from the First Creek area (lower Portland Avenue and Roosevelt Hieghts).

Also, if you want to join us at Fairbanks and First Creek we'll have numberous work parties picking up litter and removing invasive plants (Ivy) along the creek.

Come on out Saturday morning rain or shine, we'll be making improvements to the neighborhood. If you need to talk with someone or get lost, call Dan at (253) 304-2808
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Tacoma Garden Meeting

Share ideas for Tacoma’s new community gardens at April 21 kickoff event

Citizens are invited to help mold the future of Tacoma’s new community garden program by attending the Community Gardens Kickoff from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 21, at the Evergreen Tacoma campus, 1210 Sixth Ave., Tacoma. Children are welcome to attend with their families.

More than 150 people participated in a Community Garden Summit on March 20, where Mayor Marilyn Strickland announced that the City of Tacoma is supporting the growing interest in community gardening in a very tangible way: by creating seven new community gardens.

“Community gardens are neighborhood spaces where people come together to grow both food and relationships with each other,” said Kristi Lynett, City of Tacoma sustainability manager.

The Community Gardens Kickoff on April 21 will be an opportunity for neighbors and community members to learn more about the new community garden efforts, as well as give input on the vision and management for each garden location. Each group of gardeners will be encouraged to create the type of gathering place they’d like to have in their neighborhoods.

Topics to be addressed:

Purpose/vision for each neighborhood’s garden
Garden design, including gathering spaces or other communal areas
Organizational structure
Timeline and plan for construction


The new community garden locations are:

1400 S. 85th & Sheridan
South 25th & Grant Avenue
57th Avenue Northeast and Norpoint Way
North 45th & Orchard Streets
South 48th & Yakima Avenue
South 12th & Stevens:
Portland Avenue & Wright Avenue

To learn more or RSVP for the Community Gardens Kickoff, go to www.cityoftacoma.org/gardens. For additional questions, call (253) 591-5414.

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Nice article about the East Side, our Community Gardens and the April 24th Clean-up activities. The Puyallup Tribe, City of Tacoma and East Side community groups are working together and creating a better community, in today's Tacoma News Tribune.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/04/14/1147046/east-side-neighborhoods-mobilize.html

Join the fun, get involved, help make a difference.
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Community Gardens in Tacoma

The City of Tacoma is creating seven new community gardens for the 2010 growing season. This is terrific news for gardeners and neighborhoods throughout Tacoma.

Last week residents living near the gardens received a Public Notice about the gardens (yellow notice sent). Basically, it's part of the Land Use Permit Procedures and is a requirement to let citizens in the neighborhoods know about the city plans.

You can help by submitting written comments supporting the gardens before April 29th.

File Number: INT2010-40000143179
To allow the use of "community gardens" pursuant to Tacoma Municipal Code Section 13.05.030.E Permitted Uses - Uses Not Specifically Classified.

For further information regarding the proposal, log onto the website at http://govme.org/ and select "Permit Information" then "Land Use Notices. The case file may also be viewed in the Building and Land Use Services Division, 747 Market Street, room 345. Staff contact is Philip Kao, Associate Planner, 253 591-5378 or email at pkao@cityoftacoma.org

Also, related to the gardens, there will be a public meeting for anyone interested in gardening. Wednesday April 21st, 6:30pm, Evergreen College – Tacoma campus.

Thanks for your gardening interest.
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Pictures of Garden meeting 4 April 2010

Neighbors and Garden Experts gather to discuss our two new Community Gardens. It was a wet and cold day.

The gardens will be located on Portland Avenue at Wright Avenue and 32nd. At the meeting we discussed the upcoming Innovative Grants and what we might want to accomplish with one.

Important meeting on Wednesday April 21st, 6:30pm, Evergreen College – Tacoma campus. There will be a city and county wide meeting for anyone interested in gardening. The City of Tacoma is fast tracking the new community garden sites and community feedback is needed at this meeting. Please attend if you are hope to garden in any of the city sites.
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