[EVG file photo of Orchard Alley on East 4th Street]
Community Board 3 (CB3) member Bill LoSasso, who's a community gardener, passed along the following letter...
As you may know, a Coalition has formed to pursue permanence of the community gardens within the boundaries of CB3. Our community has an wonderful abundance of community gardens which provide numerous environmental, ecological, cultural, social, historical, aesthetic, and economic benefits, and more, to our neighborhoods.
If you believe that these gardens are valuable assets to our community that deserve every type of protection possible, please take 20 seconds to sign the petition below as we pursue the cause of having all gardens declared parklands and designated as part of a designated Community Gardens District. Once designated as parklands, it would take an act of the New York State legislature to alienate the land for a use other than open space.
Help preserve community gardens right here.
And here are more details from the petition...
CB3 is the birthplace of community gardens in New York City and New York State. In 1973, the first garden was established in CB3 by local activists who worked to reverse years of decline and neglect by public and private property owners.
At one time, there were 57 registered community gardens in CB3, and dozens more operating independently. As the neighborhood evolved, however, numerous gardens were bulldozed as development proceeded.
Today, there are still 46 community gardens located in CB3 — the highest density in New York City. Community Board 3 has been strengthened by the history of its community gardens, which provide environmental, cultural, aesthetic, ecological, economic, and artistic benefits to this community, and more.