Downtown Gardens Could Replace Old Parking Lots

If visioning is the first step to reality, a downtown, pot holed, parking lot may soon be the first of a network of connected community gardens. The space located behind the Hispanic Center is in the first stages of planning and zoning with the hopes it soon be divided into approximately twenty-two plots for community members who wish to tend it and grow their own vegetables.

 The Trust for Public Land, which operates 62 gardens in New York City, is behind the project. Andy Stone, the director of the New York City Trust for Public Land said that the previous So Green Community Garden on State Street faced too many obstacles to revitalize.

“It just didn't seem like it had all of the necessary ingredients and now we have a variety of skills and wonderful partners,” Stone said.

 The new project was described by Ingrid Alvarez-DiMarzo, executive director of the Hispanic Center, as Plan B.

“They kept saying, “We'll put this project on the back burner. I was always a part of the group involved in the original garden, but suddenly people started saying, Could the Hispanic Center be part of Plan B?” Alvarez-DiMarzo asked.

 Two weeks ago, the Trust called to do some soil testing and last week, Plan B turned into Plan A.

“We are hoping there will be no obstacles, we know this will not effect parking at all and will provide a very nice place for those who work here,” said Alvarez-DiMarzo.

 “We have a lot of interest, we have three ideal partners and we felt there is a need for outside assistance to start a long term community garden in Danbury,” said Stone.

 “This is non-profit row,” said Alvarez-DiMarzo. “We are right next door to Danbury Youth Services, the United Way, Danbury's Children First, and across the street is Children's Aid. This garden could someday run all along our backyards.”

 “There are so many people who have been involved already. The Universalist Church, Aloar Gontio from the Lighthouse Ministries, who speaks three languages, will be the Coordinator and Community Organizer, and Andrea Gartner from City Center Danbury is also involved,” Alvarez-DiMarzo said.

 “This all started two weeks ago with a conference call, then the soil testers came, suddenly the landscape architects were here, then there was a lady measuring. The planting season has already begun. We would love it if within a month's time, there could be plants growing,” Alvarez-DiMarzo said.

 Gontia is as excited as Alvarez-DiMarzo. “Once we get the go-ahead we'll be fixing up the spot and making the beds. We are also looking for local families to adopt a bed. They can grow vegetables for themselves.”

 Taking a deep breath, Gontia said, “I grew up on a farm, and we grew everything ourselves. Now my daughter doesn't even know how to have a garden. We have to do this, we need to rely more on our own gardens because things are only going to be getting more and more expensive. We hope people will get excited about this, because eventually, we are all going to have to go back to our roots.”