Taking Root
Healthful eating and farm heritage propel the plots at Summit Community Gardens.
A s class service projects go, this one really dug in. Sown last fall by members of Park City’s Leadership Class #16, the seeds of what would become Summit Community Gardens have been tended by an array of local groups on their way to sprouting into a full-fledged plot this summer.
Some of the earliest support came from Michele DeVaney, then-coordinator of the Uinta Headwater Resource Conservation and Development Council. Class members approached her in the knowledge that supporting an economy built around local agricultural heritage and the needs of our growing population was a part of Uinta Headwaters’ five-year strategic plan. DeVaney embraced the group’s vision of sustainable local systems that would ensure access to affordable, nutritious food, and together they mustered further input from Summit County, Park City Municipal Corporation, Summit Land Conservancy, Snyderville Basin Recreation, and local gardening enthusiasts.
The first results are now taking shape on the 20-acre Koleman open space parcel on Highway 224 just across the street from Canyons Resort. The site was chosen in part to promote access; the location needed to be convenient to public transportation and bike trails, and within walking distance of nearby neighborhoods. But it also provides plenty of room for creating a social space for learning, meeting, and teaching values and ethics through low-cost activities—as well as a plot ripe for expansion.
“We hope to have a network of community gardens in Summit County in the years to come,” DeVaney says, “but this summer we will start small and cultivate one acre. It could serve as a model for other projects and be expanded if it goes well.”
“Initially, we’ll start out with 42 raised beds that are 3-by-12 feet,” explains Alison Godlewski, who handles public relations and marketing for the gardens. Individuals, families, and nonprofit organizations can rent a small garden plot to grow vegetables, fruit, and even flowers. “There will be volunteers assisting in all phases of the gardening process, and gardening, cooking, and other workshops are planned,” she adds.
Incorporating healthful lifestyles, sustainability, education, and local heritage makes the project far more ambitious than merely a place to plant some peas. “It’s not just a garden,” DeVaney says. “It’s not simply about growing food; it’s about growing community.”
For more information, to volunteer, or to sign up for a garden plot, visit summitcommunitygardens.org.
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