Hi, Folks!
Here's the article in today's Phoenix: Dorene Pasekoff, Coordinator St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden and Labyrinth A mission of St. John's United Church of Christ, 315 Gay Street, Phoenixville, PA 19460 **************************************************************************** ********************************** St. John's Garden stays Chesco housing authority looking to incorporate it into its planned housing project, but the labyrinth goes By Brian mcCarthy, [EMAIL PROTECTED] PHOENIXVILLE - The Housing Authority of Chester County's board of directors announced Tuesday that St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden would remain on its current site while the property is developed for low-income public housing. However, this compromise may not include the garden's labyrinth. The announcement, made by Donald J.L. Coppedge, president of HACC's board of directors while reading from a statement drafted by the board, came during the board's monthly meeting, held at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at King Terrace on High Street. St. John's U.C.C. pastor Linda Gruber, garden coordinator Dorene Pasekoff and other members of the garden attended the meeting, proudly wearing their tomato stickers reading "Save the community garden." Borough Council Vice-President Richard Mark Kirkner, D-North, and borough councilmen Mike Speck, D-East, and David Gill, D-Middle, also attended, tomato stickers and all. Before the board discussed its decision regarding the garden, King Terrace residents were invited to voice on any concerns they had with their housing. Resident Penny Washington noted an "ongoing problem" with plumbing and water shut-offs not just in her apartment but in all of King Terrace. "This is a very grave concern of the residents," Washington said. HACC executive director Tonya K. Mitchell-Weston assured Washington the HACC would address these concerns and solve them within six months to a year once a county-wide enhancement effort is implemented. Coppedge told Washington that the shut-offs were necessary for repairs and residents would be properly notified in advance when future incidents occur. Other residents voiced their support of the HACC in regards to the issue of the garden. King Terrace resident Bruce Downs said he had been "watching with interest" media coverage and borough council's discussion of the garden, but said it "has turned into an attack on public housing." "As a public housing resident living on social security and disability I can attest to the life changing service the Housing Authority of Chester County is providing," Downs said, calling his apartment "clean, safe, comfortable, warm, and dry." "Perhaps council can talk to a few public housing residents and see the positive effects it has on one's life." Downs' comments were met with applause from fellow residents, including 16-year King Terrace resident Jane Hanna. "I'm happy," she said. "You have your ups and your downs. If you like your place, you're gonna keep your place." "I was homeless," another resident said. "If it hadn't been for me to come in here, I don't know where'd I be." Coppedge then opened discussion on the garden and said the board came to its conclusion to allow the garden to remain on its .84 acre property on Fairview Street behind Bethel Baptist Church following several informal meetings with borough officials including Kirkner and Main Street Community Development Corporation executive director Barry Cassidy. "The Housing Authority of Chester County intends to continue to pursue development of the parcel, but will do so with the community garden in mind," Coppedge read from the board's conclusion. "[We] will seek to develop the property to allow the garden, but likely not the garden labyrinth, in the plan." Coppedge said the HACC will explore two possibilities to allow the garden to remain on its property; to either find a way for St. John's U.C.C. to purchase the parcel its garden is located on, or offer the garden a long-term lease. "That's still up in the air," Coppedge said. "We want the community garden to be a part of this process. HACC will request support of the community garden and the borough ... in its mission to provide affordable housing." "It was a good meeting we had two months ago," board member Patrick Bokovitz said, referring to the HACC board meeting in December during which Gruber proposed that the garden be allowed to stay on its property. "My hope is to create a win-win...all this will be done through the borough planning process. There is a need for a community garden. There is a need for affordable housing." Coppedge noted that the board wanted the garden to remain in the community, but that the HACC remains dedicated to constructing public housing for low-income families on the site as part of its mission to provide affordable homes. "There is a crying need for housing," Coppedge said. "As long as I have breath in my body will push in that direction." Gruber thanked Coppedge, the board and the HACC for its decision. "We are pleased, we are delighted," Gruber said. "We are [going] to continue to work together. We look forward to work with you." However, she added "We will continue conversations about the labyrinth." "The HACC is the rightful property owner," Kirkner told the board. "And what you've come up with here is a commendable middle ground." "This will be a positive thing for the community," Coppedge said before closing the discussion. Gruber then shook hands with the board members, and she and Coppedge hugged. The HACC, St. John's U.C.C. and borough officials will continue to meet to discuss details of the compromise, with the three entities meeting together on March 3 at St. John's U.C.C. Following the meeting, Gruber said she plans to seek a way to possibly keep the labyrinth on the property through these future meetings. "I didn't hear an absolute," Gruber said. "But the key thing is the garden." -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20080227/97fd1378/attachment.html _______________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. 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