Two nonprofits picked to run community garden at Paradise Creek Park
The site of a 4-acre park under construction along Paradise Creek in National City
(City of National City)
The garden will be located at the Paradise Creek Park, which is under construction
By David Hernandez
NATIONAL CITY —
Plans for a long-awaited community garden on the west side of National City recently took a step forward after a pair of nonprofits were chosen to operate the site.
Olivewood Gardens and Mundo Gardens were the two National City-based organizations picked to manage the garden, which city and community leaders said will be an important space in a neighborhood where there's limited access to nutritious food.
The garden will be located in the 4-acre Paradise Creek Park, which is under construction just west of the stream and north of West 22nd Street.
While the plans for the garden are still in the works, city and community leaders envision it as a space for residents to plant fruits, vegetables and herbs. They see it as an opportunity to promote healthy lifestyles, support social gathering and educate residents about nutrition and environmental topics.
They want to bring together gardening, music, arts and culture.
The efforts are considered important because of the city's history with high diabetes and obesity rates, coupled with the lack of access to major grocery stores on the west side, a neighborhood known as Old Town.
The plans for the garden have been more than 10 years in the making. They date to when the city worked on a plan to guide development on the west side. Adopted in 2010, the so-called specific plan included a vision to transform a former public works site and dumping ground into a space for apartments and a park.
Enter Paradise Creek Apartments, which were completed in two phases in recent years.
Construction of the park began in late 2018. A contractor recently completed site remediation and grading, paving the way for next steps, which include the installation of park features and infrastructure improvements, including the reconstruction of Harding Avenue and West 20th Street to provide paved roadways, utilities, parking, new sidewalks and curb ramps to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The park will include bike and pedestrian pathways and picnic and playground areas in addition to the awaited garden.
"It's been a long time coming," said Mundo Gardens founder and Operations Director Janice Luna Reynoso, who two years ago helped create a committee to collect input from the community as the plans for the garden were moving forward.
Her organization will be in charge of the day-to-day management of the park, while Olivewood Gardens will provide fiscal sponsorship. Olivewood Gardens offers gardening and cooking classes on a 6-acre property, while Mundo Gardens manages a pair of small gardens across the city.
Reynoso and Olivewood Gardens Executive Director Jen Nation said the partnership is an ideal match because of the mission of the two organizations to improve access the nutritious food.
"It made perfect sense," Nation said.
The City Council is expected to consider an agreement with the two organizations in early 2020 to govern the management of the park.
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