LTC 130-2008 North Beach Community GardenI AM I B E~,C H z°0~ a~R ~' ~~ ": 5~
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OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 13o-zoos LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Matti Herrera. Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM: City Manager Jorge M. Gonzalez .' r---
DATE: April 28, 2008
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SUBJECT: Miami Beach Parks & Recreation and the North Beach Community Garden
proudly present the new North Beach Community Garden
The Parks and Recreation Department is proud to announce the grand opening of the North
Beach Community Garden. The City of Miami Beach's Parks and Recreation Department
has recently completed the installation of the new Community Garden within the North
Beach Business District. This urban garden provides local residents the opportunity to grow
their vegetables, herbs and flowers.
The Garden Steering Committee will oversee the daily operation of the garden and the City
will provide the required support. To date, all 97 garden spaces have been assigned with an
additional 30 Miami Beach residents on the waiting list.
The garden concept was the direct result of community input during the North Beach
Oceanfront Parks workshops (December 2005 and March 2006) and the Quality of Life
Community Outreach Meetings (May 2006). The Planning Department also assisted during
community consensus building process with regards to the selection of the location of the
garden, which is immediately south of Biscayne Elementary School along Dickens Avenue
and subsequently prepared the Capital Project request that resulted in the appropriation of
$50,000 in the FY06/07 Capital Budget to fund the garden.
Additionally, the North Shore Park & Youth Center's Junior National Gardener program
participants utilize several of the garden spaces as ahands-on outdoor classroom and Barry
Klein of Klein Design Group and Log Cabin of Sunrise Community Inc.; have agreed to
sponsor the demonstration gardens. The demonstration gardens provide an additional
educational resource for all gardeners and their crops will be donated to a local food bank.
On Sunday, May 4th at 11:OOam, the City of Miami Beach will hold a short ceremony
and reception to officially celebrate the official opening of the New North Beach
Community Garden, at 73~d Street and Dickens Avenue. At the unveiling, members of
the community will be in attendance, enjoying the celebration and dedication of the new
North Beach community Garden.
i
JMG / /JO/RG
Att ment
c: Robert C. Middaugh, Assistant City Manager
Kevin Smith, Parks & Recreation Director
John Oldenburg, Assistant Parks & Recreation Director
Julio Magrisso, Assistant Parks & Recreation Director