The DU Environmental Team will break ground on the High Street Community Garden this Saturday.
The project is the brainchild of the student Environmental Team since fall quarter and aims to unite DU students with community members in an effort to provide a sustainable way to reduce the University’s carbon footprint.
The final resolution for the garden was passed in the AUSA Senate on Tuesday, March 31st after recieving the backing of the Sustainability Council, DUET as well as several community members, according to DUET president Ben Waldman.
The garden, which will be funded by the AUSA with a budget of approximately $10,000, is meant to be a place where students and community members can meet and share knowledge with each other about the benefits of growing and eating locally, Waldman said.
“The garden has also been a very successful way in getting to know the surrounding community better and meeting all of our wonderful neighbors,” Waldman said.
Last fall DUET members reached out to the community around DU and spread the word to gain the support of the neighborhood for the project.
Sustainablility Council member Zoee Turrill said that the community was very receptive to the idea of a garden.
“People saw the garden as a way to take down the invisible barrier existing between the university and the surrounding community,” Turrill said.
The garden will be located at 1819 High Street between Centennial Halls and Towers in an empty lot owned by the University. The lot is currently used for storage.
Denver Urban Gardens designed the plans for the garden which includes benches, pathways, along with the gardening plots.
DUET plans to pair students with more experienced community members to cultivate the reserved plots of the garden.
There will be 13 garden plots each costing the owner $25 annually to cover the cost of water.
“Plots are 12′ x 10′ and 8′ x 15′. We are pretty much full at this point for neighbors, but have yet to assign students. Students should stay-tuned for more information on how to get a plot,” said Waldman.
The Environmental Team also plans to hold workshops on composting and water conservation at the site as well.
Turrill said she hopes that the garden will become a place of congregation for the DU community.
“[The garden could be] a place where a First Year Seminar may take part in, or an R.A. and their floor can meet,” said Turrill.
The ground breaking Saturday at 8:30 a.m. will include digging for irrigation, moving trees and spreading topsoil. Free Kaladi coffee and bagels will be provided for volunteers.
