Friends, Sometimes when community gardens are started from "the top down," they fail when "Mom," or "Dad," isn't intimately involved - this from the A good idea, recycled Glenn Voris hopes the community appreciates a new park more than his neglected community garden By Cindy Larson [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Voris puts the final touches on a plaque honoring the late b Miss Virginiab Schrantz, who helped care for the homeless and needy. Photos by Steve Linsenmayer of The News-Sentinel Glenn Voris, left, is giving up on his neglected community garden project at 1424 E. Creighton Ave. in favor of a park in honor of the late b Miss Virginiab Schrantz, who ran a mission house in the neighborhood. Garden founder and caretaker Voris and volunteer Randall Conliff stand near a vandalized sundial. Glenn Voris is about to spit in the eye of failure, sucker-punch defeat, and defy bitterness. The man who created a community garden on Creighton Avenue, only to see it grow into a forlorn-looking, overgrown weed patch, is starting over again. Plans this time call for a low-maintenance, grassy park-like setting on three lots he owns in the 1400 block of Creighton Avenue. Voris sowed the seeds of Atlas Community Gardens in 2001, when he converted the property to a community garden, complete with raised beds. The idea was to provide space for area residents to grow their own vegetables. b I thought, bBoy, that will be the most beautiful thing in the world,bb he said. The community threw its support behind Voris, with several foundations donating money to the cause. A cookout in the spring of 2001 attracted dozens of neighbors. b Our garden that year just took off with all this enthusiasm,b he said. But Voris, who lives in North Manchester and is an avid gardener, found himself at the community gardens from morning to evening about six days a week during the summer. Finally, people started telling him to let the community take care of its garden. Thatbs when the problems started. b I overestimated peoplebs interest in gardening,b he said. Once he relinquished control, the property started going downhill. People would help themselves to ripe tomatoes, and someone even stole the sundial in the center of the garden. b It just went from bad to worse,b Voris said. Today he finds it an embarrassment. b Itbs a jungle. (Neighborhood Code) is all over me like a wet blanket.b But hebs not bitter, and he doesnbt blame anybody but himself. b I feel Ibm the one thatbs failed them all,b he said, referring to neighbors, city officials and the foundations that gave money for the community garden. This spring he sent out letters to all the original gardeners establishing a clean up date, b but no one showed up.b But with the announcement earlier this summer that the city was undertaking a massive urban renewal effort in the Hanna-Creighton area, Voris got motivated to try a new approach . b Ibve got the biggest eyesore in the world,b he said b but not for long. He plans to enlist the help of a contractor to excavate the raised beds, level the ground and turn it into a small green space. He would like to use crews from Community Corrections to keep it mowed. Voris plans to name the park in honor of the late Virginia b Miss Virginiab Schrantz, who operated a mission house nearby that provided food, shelter and other care for the needy. A plaque bearing a portrait of Miss Virginia will be mounted near an entrance to the park. Asked how he felt about the community abandoning the gardens, Voris said, b I guess it broke my heart.b But he was quick to add, b Ibm not whining. All Ibm going to do is change the course, and webll still have something nice for the community.b ________________________________________________________________________ Check out AOL.com today. Breaking news, video search, pictures, email and IM. All on demand. Always Free. ______________________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden
