Speech by Elaine Fisher at Park District Board Meeting 10/9/08
We have formed a network of gardeners at the Community Garden Plots. We have found that the community garden plot program serves a diverse community of residents. We have established a website, www.NaperGardens.com to tell the stories of the gardeners and to provide information to gardeners.
There are families with small children, middle-aged residents and Seniors, as well as ethnic diversity. There are families with three generations gardening at the garden plots. Having the garden plots in one location increases the opportunities for diversity and positive interaction, which provides positive role models for children.
About 60% of current gardeners live in the central or northern sections of the city and prefer the West Street location for the garden plots. In addition, several gardeners who reside south of 87th street said that they prefer a central location for their garden plot due to proximity to hospital & fitness center, church, library or downtown businesses.
Considering this information and the current proposal of moving over half of the plots (358) to another location or next to a wetlands area, I would like to know how the Park District will select the lucky 200 gardeners who will be able to garden in the remaining small number of West Street garden plots that have been proven to be fertile soil and have been improved for over 20 years?
One gardener indicated that he likes the current location because of proximity to the hospital since he has had two strokes, and his doctor recommended he do an activity such as gardening. We don’t think he should have to participate in a lottery to get a plot on West Street.
This proposed change sounds like a sure way to destroy a successful program. A program that provides a gardening activity plus interaction with an interesting diverse community of residents, a microcosm of the city. I would ask you to keep the garden plots in the layout and number we currently have at the West Street location.
Speech by Laurian Edan at Park District Board Meeting 10/09/08
I want to start off by saying that I think we should keep all of garden plots in their current location. Almost all of the gardeners agree that the plots should not be moved. And almost all of the gardeners who would be affected by the elimination of their plots in the West Street location would not move to DuPage River Park.
There is no compelling reason to move the garden plots in order to provide new ball fields for Central High School. From comments at the last Park District meeting, the proposed ball fields would be provided for an increase in extracurricular activities of the students. This does not justify moving 350 gardeners to another location, many of whom have had the same plot for numerous years.
These students could very easily use other fields created for this purpose in DuPage River Park. Those parents who want their children to be involved in extracurricular activities at the ball fields would provide the transportation for their students. This is a fair and cost effective solution for everyone. Do we really want to spend a couple of million dollars on something that will be of benefit to very few people?
We’ve already given School District 203 a large area of land between Martin Avenue and Hillside Road. This Park District land is used primarily by Central High School for ball fields, and is very generously maintained by the Park District.
The Carolyn Martin Mitchell will intended that the land be provided for use by all of the Naperville public, not just by an exclusive group such as School District 203. If the garden plots are converted to ball fields for Central High School, it automatically excludes that part of Naperville in School District 204. On the other hand, the garden plots are available to all of the public in the Naperville Park District.
School District 203’s proposed plan would disrupt the recreational activities of several hundred families so that a smaller number of people could use the land for fewer hours on fewer days.
Finally, it seems that School District 203 will be involved in some way in soliciting input from the residents regarding the conversion of the garden plots to ball fields. Since 203 has a vested interest in the outcome of the garden plots conversion issue, it should not be part of the process.
Speech made by Albert Cain at Naperville City Council Meeting, October 7, 2008
I am here to discuss the garden plots issue. As you know, there is an effort by School District 203 to take the gardens and make athletic fields out of them.
Although I want to keep the garden plots where they are, I am not here to discuss that. I am here to discuss the process in place by the Park District to review this issue.
There are two contenders for the garden plot property. One is the gardeners. The other is School District 203.
There is a “Community Input” process being planned by the Park District. The problem is that, instead of conducting this themselves, the Park District has turned this process over to the School District.
The School District will schedule the meetings, develop the questions to ask. They will evaluate the responses and report back on the results. This, of course, is highly improper.
This process, since it is being controlled by one of the two parties competing for the Garden Plot property, is absolutely going to favor the position of the School District.
The final decision on this issue will be made here, in City Council. This input process has not yet begun. I am asking that someone here look into this. Early next year you are going to receive a highly biased recommendation on the garden plot issue. To prevent this, you must persuade the Park District to conduct fair hearings on the Garden Plots.
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