Some West Windsor residents might have plenty of room to grow a garden in their own backyards. Others, however, might not have the available space, proper tools, or the time required to maintain them.##M:[more]##
But Councilman George Borek is hoping that the township — one that prides itself on its rich agricultural and farming history — can change that and give everyone here a chance to participate in gardening activities by developing a community garden in the center of the township.
Borek announced his idea to the council and public during the January 14 council meeting, suggesting that the community garden could be located off Everett Drive next to the municipal building on part of the township-owned Censoni property. And, he says, he picked the area after driving around the township and doing research on criteria needed for a successful community garden. The tract lends itself to a slew of amenities.
“It provides water, which you need for a garden,” he says. “It’s a space that doesn’t need that much work to till the soil. It has easy access.” And parking is readily-available at the municipal building, he added. It could also work both ways for senior citizens who can easily come to the senior center and walk across to the garden.
“I’m not totally 100 percent that this might be the best place, but right outside the complex, we have this little piece of farmland that we lease out to the farmers and they pick a crop,” Borek told the council. “There’s some people who have shown an interest for a place they can plant their vegetables and flowers and whatever it may be.”
Borek mentioned community gardens in other towns, including Plainsboro and Princeton, and one that the Dutch Neck Elementary School has on its property. “It’s a good way of educating; it’s a good way of teaching youngsters of our community,” especially with having them grow their own crops, he added.
Borek also said he was looking at the state Department of Community Affairs’ website and found it does have grants available for community gardens. “The intent here is to make something that would be viable, and have a place that everyone can use,” without it becoming a financial burden on the taxpayers, he said.
Borek, who grew up on his family’s dairy farm in upstate New York, said that he spent all of his holidays on the farm and recalls how he enjoyed the large garden the family grew. “You never went to the supermarket because you took pride in what you were growing,” he said.
During the meeting, Councilwoman Heidi Kleinman suggested a possible site for the community garden could be the Schenck Farmstead property, where township officials have been working to restore various structures and are currently in the process of developing a site plan for the tract.
Borek said he found quite a few good locations in the township, but “this, I think, afforded us all the amenities we needed at this point,” he said referring to the Censoni property location.
Borek said he is speaking with Business Administrator Chris Marion about organizing informal meetings with the residents to solicit their ideas for the proposal. He said he hopes to have everything moving so that a grand opening for the community garden can happen by April or May of this year.
“Who knows — we can have a competition for the biggest tomato,” Borek joked.
