Healthcare district hopes to grow Pittsburg garden idea

By Paul Burgarino
Contra Costa Times

Posted: 01/01/2010 09:16:04 PM PST

Updated: 01/03/2010 04:55:12 PM PST

PITTSBURG — A weed and trash-bag filled vacant field near the Pittsburg Health Center soon could be transformed into a community garden.

For the past few years, the Los Medanos Community Health Care District has been trying to come up with plans for nearly an acre of empty land along Leland Road north and east of the health center. A garden seemed to make the most sense, board member Marilyn Condit said.

"There are so many apartments or places that don't have yards, it seems like it will be just a wonderful fit," she said, adding that area WIC programs and other food services could utilize the garden.

Pittsburg's planning commission will examine plans for the garden at its Jan. 12 meeting. If approved, construction would start right after that, Condit said. The district and city have gone back and forth on getting land use permits and other approvals for the garden, including the types of material used for fencing, Condit and Pittsburg city planner Leigha Schmidt said. Plans now call for putting a wrought-iron like fence around the garden, Condit said.

Talks are being held between the district and STS Academy to have teens in the nonprofit's work program be paid to build it. Both Condit and STS Academy teen services manager Merl Lewis-Craft hope to make it happen.

After a medical center was developed on the corner of Loveridge and Leland roads, the district vetted options for the remaining land. The board had considered selling the land, giving it to the county or keeping it and hiring someone to pick up trash such as plastic bags and food wrappers strewn about, mostly from the Walmart shopping center across the street, Condit said.

The garden will cost the district $50,000. Joel Summerhill, a former city parks planner, is the landscape designer for the garden.

The 0.6-acre plot of land would include a walnut tree in the middle, along with a deck, storage shed and areas for cooking and composting demonstrations.

"We want it to be really pretty. I'm not going to have it become an eyesore," Condit said.

A later phase of the garden could include walking trails and native garden plants, she said. Those plans have no funding at this point.

"It will be good for the community and become a place where residents can get involved, carve out a plot and feel a sense of empowerment," said Bobbi Palmer, the district's executive director.

Most are accustomed to going to the grocery store to buy fruits and vegetables, but a community garden "could be nurturing and very therapeutic," Palmer said.