FAQs about the proposed Calahan Community Garden

Proposed Calahan Park Community Garden FAQ Sheet
July 2010

Who is organizing this?
A group of neighbors from around the Calahan Park area has been working through the NPA, and with the Department of Parks & Recreation and other organizations to develop a community garden in Calahan Park.  Initiated at the September Ward 5 NPA meeting, the group sought involvement from all neighborhoods adjoining the park.  The Steering Committee has worked with CEDO and other organizations to raise funds.  If established, the garden would become park of Burlington Area Community Gardens, which is administrated by the City’s Department of Parks & Recreation.

What is the process of approving the garden?
The garden received neighborhood support when it was presented at Ward 5 NPA meetings in November and December of 2009.  It was ranked highest in neighborhood support for funding through the CDBG program (neighborhood block grants, awarded through the NPA program by CEDO).  It was approved “in concept” by the Parks Commission in February, pending a final design, parking plan, and plan for water.  The Organizing Committee is seeking public input on this final design in a public forum scheduled for July 19th, at the DPW at 645 Pine St, at 7pm.  If there are significant concerns, the Organizing Committee will work to address them.  Only when concerns are resolved will the final proposal be brought to the Parks Commission.

Where would the garden be located?
The location proposed for the garden is on the slope above the tennis courts  — between the tennis courts and Shelburne Rd.  It would be on the upper (eastern) half of that area.

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Isn’t that area sloped?
Yes, it is!  However, the upper half is much more level.  The garden will be located there.  We believe that one small terrace halfway down the area to be gardened would be sufficient for constructing raised bed plots in the section proposed for gardening.

Does terracing mean that the garden would involve digging into the slope?
No.  We would only have to dig in order to put in water (see below).  The one terrace would be created by building up the soil, rather than digging down.

How big would the garden be?
The proposed garden proposed is 110 feet wide (@37 yards) by 130 feet long (@44 yards).  This is less than half of the area above the tennis courts.  The design leaves a substantial buffer on all sides, of 20-40 feet at the narrowest.

How many gardeners would use the garden?
There would be 28 garden plots at the garden.  If in the future, the garden were to construct another terrace, another 12 plots could be added.  Addition of another terrace would be dependent on acceptable terrace design and adequate parking for expansion (see below).   Please note:  approval for such a design is NOT being solicited at this time.

How would water be brought to the site?
Water would be brought from the spigot at the maintenance shed near the basketball court.  Estimates from two companies show it would be both feasible and financially reasonable to bring a water line to the garden from that existing spigot.

Would any structures be built?
Yes.  A toolshed would be built to store garden equipment.  Our proposal includes a small structure with a porch for sitting, and a ramp for storing a garden cart.  A toolshed is needed to allow gardeners to share and store tools onsite, thus reducing need for driving to the site.

How would parking needs be handled?
There are two possible areas for parking, both of which are being explored by Parks & Recreation.  One is an area just off of Gove Court, where 4 gravel parking spaces existed previously.  These could easily be restored as parking.  Another is under discussion.

It is important to also add that we expect very little car traffic to the garden.  Many of the gardeners will live in the neighborhood, and will access it by foot.  Visits to the garden are dispersed throughout the week and across times of day.   If, in the event that more gardeners arrived by car than fit in the designated parking area, there is a significant amount of public parking located along Locust St.

Is a garden compatible with other uses of the park?  
We believe so.  This area is not used for sledding in the winter, nor sporting events in the summer.  Generous buffers to the north and south (20-40 feet) would mean that people walking down into the park would have easy access from Shelburne Rd as they do now.  As it takes up only half of the area above the tennis courts, there would still be substantial open space in this area.  Finally, our design works around all existing trees.

How would this be paid for?
The organizing committee has been awarded funds from Friends of Burlington Community Gardens, the New England Grassroots Environmental Fund, and the Community Development Block Grant program, administered by CEDO.  If the garden receives final approval from the Parks Commission, these funds would pay for the materials, and installation of water lines.  Gardeners and other volunteers would install the garden with the assistance of the Parks & Recreation Department.  Once established, the garden would be administered by the Parks & Recreation Dept, which oversees, administers and supports all Burlington Area Community Gardens.