Merchant Park Community Garden - First Meeting Slides

8/8/2019 Merchant Park Community Garden - First Meeting Slides

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1MPCG // Inaugural Meeting // October 5 th, 2010

MERCHANT PARK COMMUNITY GARDENInaugural Meeting8pm October 5th, 2010All Saints Church4129 W. Newport, Chicago, IL


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LOCATION OF MERCHANT PARK

12,750 sq ft

Eddy

Keeler


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3MPCG // Inaugural Meeting // October 5th

, 2010

WHAT THE LOT LOOKS LIKE NOW


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, 2010

WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE WHEN ITS TRANSFORMED


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, 2010

Our Vision:

Have plots of land available to neighborhoodresidents so we can GROW OUR OWN FOOD.

Teach children in the neighborhood how togrow foods and plants.

Bring people of the community together bybeautifying a vacant lot and turning it intosomething useful for the neighborhood.


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, 2010

HERES OUR PLAN

Garden plots (8 x 8) that members can rent for a smallyearly fee (about $15 to $50 per year depending on start upand maintenance costs)


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, 2010

Testing completed, September 2010, showsaverage amounts of lead in the soil for the

Chicago area.

However, lead levels are still higher thansuggested for growing vegetables by the EPA.


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, 2010

HOW TO MAKE THE GARDEN SAFE


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, 2010

I recommend using raised beds in your garden. You will have noproblems with lead if you use raised beds. Your raised beds

should be minimum 10 inches high.

I recommend using wood chips to protect children from the leadin the soil. I would put a water permeable fabric down and then

wood chips over the fabric.

[By doing this,] you will be safe.

Matthew Kostelnick

Horticulture EducatorUniversity of Illinois Extension Service

Cook County Unit


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, 2010

COMMUNITY GARDENS ARE EVERYWHERE!


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, 2010

COMMUNITY GARDENS NEAR US

Turtle Park Garden4900 N. Troy

Allotment garden and

community park

Drake Garden

4643 N. Drake

Botanic garden / park


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, 2010

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE OUR GARDEN A REALITY!


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, 2010

TIMELINE

PLANNING

October 2010 March 2011

BUILDING OUT THE ACTUAL GARDEN

April 2011

PLANTING

May 2011

ENJOYING THE FRUITS OF THE GARDEN

June 2011 and beyond!


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, 2010

COSTS

Costs for running a garden like this average $500 to $1500 per year

(but it takes more labor than cash to make the garden a reality!)


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, 2010

Lots of Issues to Be Worked On

WATER

What is the best way to get water to the garden? We can use city hydrants in the interim but how do we get water from the hydrants to the garden? Can we get water from an adjacent business? Or from a residential hose(s) nearby? What are the costs associated with getting permanent water to the site? Can we get funds from the City, local businesses or a non-profit organization like NeighborSpace to install water

at the site?

How could the use of rain water become part of the overall water plan?


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, 2010


FENCING & MAINTENANCE

How should we secure the site? Is fencing the only way to do this? What resources from city / park district / non-profits can we use to help with the fence and maintenance? How should we go about clearing / cleaning the plot?


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, 2010


Plot Construction

We plan to use plot rental fees to build raised beds and put down mulch in pathways between raised beds. We need to determine total cost for this in order to set initial plot rental fees. We need lots of LABOR to build the plots. Everyone who wants a plot should plan on participating in this endeavor. Its important to know how many people are interested in plots within a month in order to start budgeting labor

time and funds for buying supplies.

We are seeking support from NeighborSpace (a non-profit that supports community gardens) to help us plan andbuild our garden.


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, 2010


OPERATIONS

Create initial set of bylaws Create an application for plot-holders


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, 2010


MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Maintain database of members info Figure out a communications plan to inform members of updates / announce community meetings


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20MPCG // Inaugural Meeting // October 5

th

, 2010


FUND RAISING

gather the final amount needed to start garden plan fundraising events research funding opportunities from various institutions


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21MPCG // Inaugural Meeting // October 5

th

, 2010

NEXT STEPS:

1.Sign up to receive information on our website(www.merchantparkcommunitygarden.org).

2.Come to a meeting (see announcements on our website or on ourFacebook site do a search for Merchant Park Community Garden and

sign on as a fan)3.Start working on a committee (water, maintenance & fencing, plotconstruction, marketing & communication, fundraising, operations,compost)


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Documents

Merchant Park Community Garden - First Meeting Slides