McKinley Park Community Garden Plots Return in 2018

The McKinely Park Community Garden, on hiatus in 2017 due to the sale of its previously donated site, is set to resume activities in 2018 with garden plots at a new, permanent location. Sited in the large split between the northbound and southbound lanes of Damen Avenue north of Pershing Road, the garden's new home has official approval from the Chicago Park District and participants gearing up to get it ready for 2018.

Garden organizers and fans gathered on Thursday, September 28, 2017, for a cocktail party fundraiser to help cover costs for next year's garden. "The old beds fell apart when we tried to move them last year," said Corenna Roozeboom, one of the original founders of the community garden. "We need to purchase brand new beds and soil."

Other requirements for the new garden site are watering hoses and watering cans, as well as on-site storage, said fundraiser hostess and longtime community garden member Kara Breems. "Ideally we'll be able to buy cedar, so the beds will last longer," she said. "Dirt costs a lot of money if it's high-quality, organic, garden plot soil."

Another big need for the garden, Roozeboom said, is getting more people involved in organizing and running it. "We’re looking for folks who are willing to take on a more active role in the garden’s management and organization for next year," she said. "It’s a lot of work, but many hands make the work lighter."

McKinley Park resident and longtime garden member Joy Duncan was involved in helping the community garden find a new location after it lost its original spot. Although a great deal of paperwork was involved, the garden worked through the Park District process and was approved in May 2017. "Our date for breaking ground is set for April 21, 2018," she said.

"I am a huge believer in the power of green space and gardens," Duncan said. "I think the effect on the community is a good one and that is why I support the community garden."

Breems credited the garden with helping her and her husband, fellow fundraiser host Tony Adams, connect with neighbors. "The community garden was one of the first ways I started to really get to know other people in the neighborhood beyond my immediate block," she said. "The garden helped me put down roots in the neighborhood."

Although final dates have not been set, organizers anticipate that signup for new garden plots will begin in early 2018, and buildout of the new beds will take place in the early spring. To keep informed of news about the garden, and to get more information, visit its website and its Facebook page.