Community Corner

Calavera Hills Getting New Community Garden

At this week’s City Council workshop, the Carlsbad City Council approved establishing a new community garden on an underutilized half acre plot in the southeastern corner of Calavera Hills Community Park.  The Council also asked city staff to explore partnership opportunities with non-profit and service organizations, school districts and other members of the community that would lead to a proposed long term plan for how community gardens in the city should be developed and managed in the future.

Carlsbad’s first community garden, the Harold E. Smerdu Community Garden on Laguna Drive near Georgina Cole Library, was established in 1984. Currently, more than 100 Carlsbad residents are on the garden’s waiting list.

Last year, members of the Carlsbad Community Gardens Collaborative, a non profit organization working to create a network of community gardens and garden-sharing resources throughout the City of Carlsbad, asked the City Council to consider creating a second community garden.  The City Council agreed, and the collaborative began working with Parks & Recreation Department staff to evaluate potential locations.

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The approved location at the southeast corner of Calavera Hills Community Park will feature raised planter beds instead of in ground plots.  The city will clear the turf and install 26 planter beds — some for communal use and others residents can lease to grow their own fruits, flowers and vegetables. Decomposed granite or wood chip pathways will separate the beds, and some planter beds will be handicapped-accessible. The new garden will also include irrigation, composting bins, benches, and a group picnic area for gardening classes and other small gatherings.

According to City of Carlsbad Parks Superintendent Kyle Lancaster, the city will establish a process for allocating plots in the new garden, as well as set fees for its use.  He estimates the garden will be ready for use in 2014.

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At Tuesday’s workshop, community garden advocates spoke about the benefits of community gardens, including improving health and local sustainability.  They also said community gardens can be used to help educate children about gardening.

–City of Carlsbad


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