About Riverside Community Garden
The idea for a community garden at Riverside Park formed in early 2012, when F.R.E.S.H. New London (an organization that has been working since 2004 to create a healthful, accessible, sustainable, just, and beautiful food system), conducted soil testing at various locations in and near the park. The idea began to be implemented in spring 2013, when a group of East New London residents, interested in creating a community garden in their neighborhood, met with F.R.E.S.H. executive director Arthur Lerner at the nearby Polish Club to talk about making Riverside Community Garden a reality. The group received permission to use a vacant city-owned parcel, across from Riverside Park at the corner of Crystal Avenue and Adelaide Street, for the new garden, and construction of 36 raised beds was accomplished (with generous assistance from Calkins Community Garden members) during the weekend of June 8-9. The following weekend, the beds were filled with a soil-compost mix, and gardeners began planting!
Now beginning its 12th season, Riverside Community Garden will start taking applications on March 1 for reservation of garden beds. Water has been installed at the site, and an ornamental fence encloses the main garden space. Young apple, pear, and peach trees have been planted along the fence line, and berry-bearing shrubs have been added to the garden over the past year or so.
The garden promises to be a source of fresh, organic, local food for East New London and downtown residents (with a couple beds dedicated to raising vegetables for the local food pantry), as well as a place where neighbors can meet, work, and socialize together.
