A year ago, a resident sowed the seeds for a community garden in Orland Park.
On Monday, the village board’s parks and recreation committee approved a conceptual plan for a garden at Discovery Park, Wolf Road and Brook Hill Drive.
The village’s community gardens program still needs village board approval, but Trustee Patricia Gira, who chairs the committee, said the plan is to kick it off this growing season.
Once approved, 20 400-square-foot plots will be eligible for lease at the park. The rental fee would be $25 for residents until April 15 and $30 thereafter. Non-residents can rent space based on availability for $35, beginning May 1.
The village will till the soil at the start of the season and tap into an existing water line to provide gardeners with a water source.
Gira said community gardens were popular during World War II, known then as “victory gardens.”
But this community garden will be part of Orland Park’s green initiative, meaning that gardeners will not be allowed to use weed killer and will be asked to only use organic pesticides and fertilizers, Gira said.
She said the village will gauge response to the program and determine whether more gardens would be welcome next year.
“This will be our test program,” Gira said.
Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services