Batavia community gardens taking shape

Plans for a community garden are budding in downtown Batavia.

"Come Grow With Us" is growing out of a vacant one-acre lot on the northwest corner of Main and Water streets.

Volunteers from Batavia MainStreet, the Batavia Environmental Commission and Batavia Citizens for Clean Energy and Conservation are behind the effort. It has a threefold mission: To teach people ecologically sound gardening practices, to teach them about raising food for themselves and to raise food for the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry.

They have planned a 30-by-80-foot garden for the pantry; a circle of raised-bed gardens in the center, where a house once stood, with a space where lessons can be taught; a children's garden, perhaps including a sunflower "fort" to play in; an herb garden; and a permaculture mandala garden, taking design clues from nature about sustainable, nonharmful agriculture in small spaces.

There would also be individual rental garden plots, a berry patch, a workbench area for gardeners and some decorative plants.

"It seemed like a really good place to start," said Jennifer Echert, a volunteer from Batavia MainStreet, noting the site is within a block of the pantry, the Batavia Public Library and the Batavia Farmers Market.

"Our big challenge is getting things to build the garden with," she said.

She said Batavia Enterprises was "very generous" in granting them use of the land. The second-oldest house in Batavia, built in 1835, used to be there, until it was demolished in 2003. Townhouses were supposed to be built, but never came to fruition. The land is zoned for commercial use, but Batavia Enterprises has guaranteed that if it's going to build anything, it will let gardeners finish out a season before having to move the gardens, Echert said.

The city council is due to vote Monday night on an easement agreement with Batavia Enterprises. The city is providing the liability insurance for the project.

Next-door neighbor Chase Bank will provide a water connection, as will Calvary Episcopal Church, which is across Main. The church will also let gardeners use its parking lot. The city has already donated 40 cubic yards of mulch.

The group has a cleanup session planned for Wednesday. Planting will start with the food pantry garden, on April 24.

It is looking for volunteers and donations. Items sought include tires, treated wood for benches, untreated cedar for raised beds, seeds, plants, soil and garden mix, wheelbarrows, tools, compost, composted manure and stable sweepings, and coffee grounds and other wet compostable items. To volunteer or to donate, call Echert at (630) 406-1110.

Echert hopes the idea of gardening for others, not just yourself, will spread.

"The goal is to eventually have more community gardens within Batavia," Echert said.