Green Space Make-Overs
through community gardens and education is also a large park of their work.
Beginning with Elliotborough Park in
2010, the CPC expanded the park to
include 20 garden beds available for
lease to members of the community,
four of which grow produce for a local
homeless shelter as well as for neighborhood residents. Lettuces, rainbow
chard, mustard greens, kale, and other
greens abound from the Elliotborough
Community produce that can be incorporated into meals created daily by
Charleston’s local Crisis Ministries.
In April 2014, CPC launched the
Magnolia Park Community Garden
in West Ashley, which offers 40
garden plots for lease to the community. Fourteen plots are maintained
by the CPC which, again, will grow
and harvest produce for local food
banks. The CPC’s hope is that these
gardens will serve as an opportunities for neighbors and communities
through educational opportunities
to get their hands dirty together,
while reviving the parks and inspiring
urban gardening.
Elliotborough Park was the Conservancy’s first community garden. Residents can lease
beds in the garden and the Conservancy maintains some public beds, donating much of
the harvest to a local homeless shelter.
128
PEACHYTHEMAGAZINE.COM