Take it a year at a time

We applaud Zion Community Development Corporation and their idea for a community garden at Legion Field. Especially in these troubled economic times, a community garden can help residents defray the costs of providing nutritious meals to their families.

The idea of a community garden meshes well with the city and Oberlin College's joint partnership in the Climate Positive Development program of the Clinton Climate Initiative. By growing fresh fruits and vegetables at home, we reduce the carbon emissions produced by trucking the produce to markets.

The garden will also help to build community as residents from all areas of town work side by side in their individual plots. The use of raised beds in some of the plots will allow residents of different physical abilities to enjoy the thrill of planting, tending, and enjoying the harvest from their own garden.

But we agree with city council's suggestion to take it one year at a time. The three-year plan presented by Zion CDC executive director Judy Wright is perhaps overly ambitious.

We wonder if the field -- 3.5 acres -- is large enough for the planned individual plots, forest garden, butterfly/hummingbird garden, tool shed, compost arbor, and composting toilet envisioned in the plan. Are 40 individual plots enough?

On the other hand, are 40 individual plots too many, given the existing community garden in the area of Smith and South Pleasant streets, and one planned by the Boys & Girls Club of Lorain County at the former Pleasant Street School.

Zion appears to have thought about parking for gardening residents, securing permission from Calvary Baptist Church to use their parking lot. But Evans Ditch, which would form the eastern border of the community garden, could prove to be a formidable barrier to access, especially during the spring planting season, when spring rains fill the ditch on its way to Plum Creek.

These and other questions raised by city council cause us to applaud also council's tentative decision to allow the community garden for a one-year trial. After one year, some of these questions might be resolved; and if not Zion will not have invested in much of the infrastructure and plantings necessary for the full plan.

We do agree the community garden is a good idea. But we, like council, will wait to see how good the plan is.