Re: “Nelson council considering community garden at Seventh Street Park,” Oct. 8
Thank you Mayor John Dooley for making the only sane comments in the entire article I read in the Nelson Star on the Seventh Street Park. To quote: “The folks across in the Golden Life building, they might have something to say, good or bad. Nelson’s history of community gardens has been marginal at best.”
From what I can gather from the article no one who belongs to the Climate Corps lives near the park.
The same five seniors are still taking care of the four flower and vegetable boxes eight years after they were built as a “community project” in the park. There are 140 residents at Lakeside Village, so you do the math.
The Graine has a garden at every suite all of which are surrounded by sturdy fences to discourage skunks, coyotes, deer, bears, gophers, mice, and Nelson’s new favourite, Norway rats, who live in the undeveloped land across the railway tracks from their homes. It’s a full-time job protecting their summer-only harvest. The gong show that would ensue from 52 raised vegetable boxes would be worthy of reporting in major provincial papers.
Seventh Street is a dead end with street parking taken up by residents at both Amber and Silver Bay and guests at Lakeside Village, Radio Seven, and the Ward Apartments.
The park as is has a lovely sitting area for people, and is used by all residents in this area as well as people just walking their dogs or playing with their children. It is the only park in Lower Fairview. Please do not allow this park to turn into another bad idea that city workers will have to clean up and taxpayers pay for when it is working well as it is now.
Please Mr. Mayor and council have an independent vote with the residents on moving forward with this proposal before you meet with the Climate Corps people again.
Lynda Trstensky
Owner - Amber Bay Strata