This summer, while working at the Vollintine Evergreen Community Association I was given the opportunity to work closely on the organizations community garden located on Hunter Ave. Hunter Avenue has been undergoing a large transformation over the past 10 years. The area is attempting to overhaul their thriving drug market in order to create a safer place to reside. Operation Blue CRUSH (a 2005 initiative by the Memphis City Police to reduce crime in the Memphis area) has closed many houses in the neighborhood that were operating drug/crime houses. In addition to keeping the closed/abandoned houses boarded up on the street, VECA would work to keep the empty lots clear of high weeds and debris/trash, in order to establish a more esthetically please environment.
Last year, on 2 of the vacant parcels, VECA decided to take a cue from the Grow Memphis organization and develop a community garden. VECA's hopes with establishing this garden would be the clean up lots and at the same time create an environment for the neighbors to interact with one another.
The problem with the community garden is that it lacks the proper maintenance from the residents. Neighbors are reluctant to help, so most of the work falls upon the volunteers at the community organization to take time to make sure the garden is kempt. When someone fails to do so, the garden turns into an area like the rest of the vacant lots, that is unruly and a hot spot for crime.
In New York City, the community gardens were fighting the same battle. Who will tend it? Whose money should be put into the garden? Should they sell the areas to non-profit organizations? City's across the country can profit from the food, the additional green space, and the potential community interaction that the gardens provide, but for struggling neighborhoods, is it the best plan? Should struggling neighborhoods be focusing on other things to help create a better neighborhood?
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