HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-22-15 Oliveri Community gardens in bozemanFrom:Christy Oliveri
To:Agenda
Subject:Community gardens in bozeman
Date:Friday, May 22, 2015 5:23:11 PM
Hello,
I hope this is the way to make a public comment. I wanted to let city governmentknow what is going on with the community garden behind city hall. Apparently thisis the new community garden space, and actually had a couple spots available,which I was excited about since I wanted to plant a vegetable garden and was partof a community garden in the town I am from in Oregon, which was a greatexperience. Well. I have to say I have been very disappointed. I paid $80, and if Iclean up my plot at the end of the season I supposedly get $40 of that back, butstill, a pretty high amount in my opinion. However, IF there were tools available,water, and good hoses and the garden was kept up it would be worth it.
I have been saddened to see this garden that is overgrown, covered in weeds, withbits of garbage sprinkled throughout the area. I had to clean up from whoever hadmy plot last season (so I don't know what that other $40 goes towards that theykeep- it obviously was not used to clean up my plot!), which took hours. Thenthere was no water- I called Beall Center and found out it is turned on mid-May bypubic works. Great! Then I went back this week hoping to plant, and found theone hose connected to the water doesn't reach the entire back half of the garden. So I can't even water my plot. I called Beall Center again and they said they wouldfind out what is going on. I hope they do- and they have been very helpful. Itseems like the partnership between them and public works is not working very wellhowever.
I hope this gets resolved very quickly. If it does not, I have to say I will be goingover to ask to be reimbursed for the $80 I spent. If you charge people the sameamount that people in Langhor community garden are getting charged, you need tomake sure the same amenities are available: a clean, weed- free garden area, tools(why there is a nice shed with no tools in it I cannot fathom!), water, and goodhoses.
I hope this problem is fixed quickly.
Thank you,
Christy
-- Christy Oliveri, M.Ed.Doctoral student, Adult & Higher EducationMontana State University(541) 975-3509oliverichristy@gmail.com