Urban garden plots open next month, time to register for a plot
SUBMITTED BY: Debra Hansen
LAKEWOOD – The city of Lakewood and Denver Urban Gardens (DUG) have joined together to create a new community garden in Lakewood, the Ute Trail Community Garden. Slated to open on May 15, the garden is located at 13130 West Jewell Ave., (the corner of West Jewell and West Yale).
The city, DUG and volunteers from the area have been working in earnest to get the garden ready by the opening date. When completed, the garden will offer 46 plots to local gardeners who wish to sink their hands in the soil. The plot sizes vary, but average about 220 square feet.
Garden rules are currently being created and reviewed, but preliminary rules suggest that members of the garden will be required to work two of the four annual “work days,” and volunteer as the “master gardener,” supervising and maintaining the common areas, for one week during the 24 week season. Because this is a DUG sponsored garden, only organic methods of gardening will be allowed in the plots.
Intended truly as a community garden, the community is invited to share in the work and the play of the garden. Although the primary purpose of a community garden is to grow produce, urban residents enjoy many side benefits of working the land together.Annual events and open houses will encourage neighbors to get involved.
Two plots are reserved for growing community produce, which will be donated to local food banks throughout the growing season.
The fee for use of a plot for the season is $30. There is also a deposit of $30, returnable at the end of the season, if the plot is left cleaned up and put to bed. Registration is open now. For more information, visit the garden’s web page at: https://sites.google.com/site/utetrailcommunitygarden/?pli=1
To register for a plot, visit: http://www.lakewood.org/comres/page.cfm?ID=772&CommunityGardens/
(Hints for registering: The activity/section number is 156000-01, and for those who prefer to use Advanced Search use the keyword “garden.”
