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Community garden planned for Three Springs

Parks and Rec Board supports proposal
Volunteers Jeanine Justice, Angela Eicher, and Owen Eicher, 7, prepare for planting at the garden at Manna Soup Kitchen. The Garden Project of Southwest Colorado is now planning a garden at Confluence Park in Three Springs.

The Garden Project of Southwest Colorado is planning a new community garden for Confluence Park in Three Springs.

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board voted to back the initial concept plans for a half-acre park next to the new 101-unit apartment complex and near the intersection of Mercado Street and Clear Spring Avenue.

“This garden is integrated into the landscape. I really appreciate that,” said board member Peter Schertz .

The previous garden at Three Springs had to be taken down to make way for the apartments.

Garden Project is planning a space that will hold 58 garden plots that would be planted by community members, said Sandhya Tillotson, executive director of the Garden Project.

Construction could be phased based on the money raised. The first phase of the project could cost $85,000. This includes fencing, 53 garden beds, a shade structure, a shed and other materials.

The design for the garden may change because the city and Garden Project plan to meet with residents.

The Garden Project, a nonprofit, must also raise money for the project and negotiate a memorandum of understanding with the city because the city owns the land.

The nonprofit also asked the city to pay the garden’s water bill.

If all goes well, the garden could open in 2017, Tillotson said.

The Garden Project has started 20 community gardens, including gardens at local schools and at Manna Soup Kitchen.

“We believe gardens really connect people to their food, their land and each other,” she said.

The garden would be sustained by donations and member dues.

mshinn@durangoherald.com

Three Springs Garden Plans (PDF)



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