Anacortes Community Gardens A Community Partnership

1. Anacortes Community GardensA Community Partnership

2. During World War I and II, millions of Americans planted Victory Gardens to help with the war effort • In 1943, 20 million food gardens were planted in the U.S. • Community “victory” gardens are popular again today

3. What is a community garden? • Any piece of land gardened by a group of people • Built on public or privately owned space • Gardeners grow their own food or ornamental plants • Provides nutritious food & builds healthy communities • Supports food security for low income families • Community gardens come in many shapes and sizes

4. Did you know? • Community gardens can: • Improve neighborhoods • Increase property values • Revitalize disadvantaged areas • Act as a catalyst for economic development • "We find that the opening of a community garden has a statistically significant positive impact on residential properties within 1000 feet of the garden, and that the impact increases over time… Finally, we find that the opening of a garden is associated with other changes in the neighborhood, such as increasing rates of homeownership, and thus may be serving as catalysts for economic redevelopment of the community.“ • Paul Hughes Calgary Food Policy Council

5. Our garden is … Produce above was delivered to our local Anacortes 100 and Salvation Army Food Banks • Enhancing local food security • Supporting our local food banks • Helping low-income neighbors grow their own food • Providing a community recreation opportunity • Providing community education • Gardening methods, plant selection, composting • Food preservation methods

6. A Community Partnership • The City of Anacortes and Transition Fidalgo & Friends (formerly Skagit Beat the Heat) formed a partnership to develop and operate one or more community gardens • A formal Memorandum of Agreement spells out each organizations commitments and responsibilities • ACG Advisory Committee guides the long term goals and operation of the community garden program

7. Partnership – Cont’d • City of Anacortes provides: • Land, water, port-a-potty • Liability insurance coverage • Deliveries of compost, mulch, rocks • Staff and equipment support for some maintenance work • Parks & Recreation “Menu” guide publishes activities • Transition Fidalgo & Friends provides: • Leadership of the City’s Advisory Committee • Financial and operations management of the garden • Management of application process & waitlist • Communications –newsletter, publicity, presentations • ACG Website – http://anacortescommunitygardens.org • Composting area and classes provided by Skagit County

8. Building the Garden - 2009 • Auto Magic award provided “seed” money for project • Beat the Heat raised money and organized volunteers • City supplied some labor and materials • Local businesses donated materials • Community support has been phenomenal • Skagit Beat the Heat • WSU Master Gardeners • Service clubs • Local businesses • Local newspaper • Hospital • Individuals

9. 29th Street San Juan Lanes Bowling Alley Bayview Apartments 29th Street Community Garden Existing Playfield 28th Street We hope this will be the first of several community gardens developed by the City of Anacortes and Transition Fidalgo & Friends

10. ~ We had a plan … Social marketing important 80’ x 100’ fenced garden is located on City Park property Water provided free Shed & community tools Compost area Onsite education Curtain drain added by City Full or half plots available 12 ea 10’ x 24’ plots Two food bank plots Six children's plots Five ADA raised beds with packed gravel pathways Handicap parking spaces Maintenance Gardeners maintain common areas (8 hours/year required) 29th Street

11. How it works – the admin stuff • Advisory Committee meets bi-monthly • Reviews finances; future planning • Applications are renewed annually • Rules and applications on websites • Garden Committee oversees activities • Gardeners sign “rules” acknowledgement and liability waiver annually • Current gardeners have first right of refusal (if they fulfilled their 8 volunteer hours) • If no plot available, placed on waitlist • Plot fees spent for maintenance and upgrades to the garden • Garden Committee submits budget to the Advisory Committee for review

12. 29th Street Garden photos by Dana Styber

13. 2010 Accessible Garden Addition A BIG THANKS to WA Conservation Corp & Kiwanis Sunrisers

14. The work was hard… 29th Street Garden photos by Dana Styber

15. But worth it! 29th Street Garden photos by Dana Styber

16. In 2009, Skagit Beat the Heat started Eat Your Yard, a companion lawn conversion project • Promoting converting CO2 intensive lawns to garden space • Veggie U classes at Anacortes Library • Providing demonstration workshops at 29th Street Garden

17. For More Information • Contact Advisory Committee: • Betty Carteret, Committee Chair • Jonn Lunsford Anacortes Parks Dept. • Visit garden websites at: http://anacortescommunitygardens.org http://acga.localharvest.org/garden/M2514 • Learn more about Eat Your Yard at http://anacortescommunitygardens.org/eat-your-yard.html