pei.czech writes:

Moving NYC "More Gardens!"

Thursday December 2, 2004, 11am

We need folks from all communities and from all boroughs to come by over the next 4 days and lend a hand. If you can join us please call Aresh @ 917 518-9987 ASAP let us know when you are available to help. Read story below for details.

Press Conference: Environmental Injustice in the Bronx
Community gardeners stood their ground. Half of the original green space is now to be made permanent. Housing and Green Spaces must stay in balance!

Thursday December 2, 2004, 11am
In front of Family Group Garden, E. 158th Street between Courtlandt and Park Aves.

In the South Bronx, over 28,000 square feet of open green space, home to 3 community gardens, are being lost, in a highly inequitable exchange of community space in the most toxic, least green, highest population density, most asthma-riddled neighborhood in the city, and one of the two poorest Congressional districts in the USA.

Gardeners and residents will help move out plants and speak out about their challenges to preserve the remaining 14 community green spaces, and to create more community gardens and truly affordable housing. We will explain the “Homes and Gardens Plan,” a proposal by the community and housing experts, showing how both gardens and more units of housing can be
implemented in the Melrose area.Thanks to the commitment and strong vision of the people of the South Bronx and the Environmental Justice Center and other organizations dedicated to improving the conditions here, we have been able to stem the tide of total destruction of open green space. Come and meet some of these heroes tomorrow and Sunday.

Contacts: Marty Rogers of South Bronx United Gardens 718-292-0765,
Cell only on Thursday 917 589 0364. Aresh Javadi: More Gardens! Coalition
917-518-9987, 718-585-2109

Music Day in the Garden with David Rovics
Speak-Out, and Celebrations

Sunday, December 5, 1 PM
Speak-Out at 3 PM (gardeners, public welcome)

Courtlandt Garden, 158TH Street Between Melrose And Courtlandt Ave.
(2 OR 5 Train To 149th and 3rd Ave., walk up Melrose to 158th and take a left or 4 OR D TO 161st/Yankee Stadium, go uphill on 161st, right on Courtlandt to 158th).

A day of music around the fire! David Rovics and special guests to be announced. Bring your instrument. Help the gardeners move, share food, and plot for more gardens.

Why: To have fun and bring attention to the remaining 14 Melrose threatened community gardens in the South Bronx.

Contacts: Marty Rogers of South Bronx United Gardens 718-292-0765, Cell only on Thursday 917 589 0364
Aresh Javadi: More Gardens! Coalition 917-518-9987, 718-585-2109

Story:

South Bronx Community Gardens supported by More Gardens! and othe awsesome gardeners were in court early this morning December 1st at 8:30 AM to hear the fate of three community gardens in the South Bronx. "Sunshine Garden", "Family Group Garden" and "Lainos Unidos Garden" came to a reluctant agreement to evacuate their present locations and move all chosen trees and belongings to the Courtlandt community garden and another nearby vacant lot by this coming Sunday December 5th by 6 PM.

The remaining structures and trees will be razed Monday morning by bulldozers.

Hon. Eileen Branston, Judge of the Supreme Court had issued a Temporary Restraining Order barring the City of New York from selling three plots of land found in the Melrose Section of the South Bronx late last month. The petitioners in this case, community gardeners and an organization representing community gardeners, South Bronx United Gardeners, Inc.
(SBUG), had brought the proceeding against the City for its failure to comply with procedures set forth in the City Charter in disposing of the City-owned lots.

Right after the court hearing a group marched over to Green Thumb who's offices are around the corner where we were welcomed by empathetic GT members immediately setting forth a plan to help move everything with all the necessary equipment and supportive man power. This includes adding secure fencing where needed, rooting up large trees including a peach tree, cherry tree, crabapple tree and taking cuttings from the grapevines that will be replanted in the spring amongst other items, possibly large structures or two, tools, grills and other items that are moveable.

This is a small victory that after many years of ruthless bulldozing without any proper warning. This time we are able to move as much as we can. We are however, moving into much smaller plots that will be sharing with other established gardens. A difficult inconvenient unnecessary move in the large scheme of things but a compromise none the less, an acknowledgement that we are serious about keeping our gardens alive in all of our communities....More Gardens!