Community Volunteers, Neighborhood Advocates, Supportive Donors + City Officials Join Neighborhood Leadership Pgm In Opening Wrigley Village Community Garden (2044 Pacific Ave.)
(August 1, 2009) -- A vacant lot in the 2000 block of Pacific Ave. has been transformed into the Wrigley Village Community Garden, officially opened at a Saturday morning (Aug. 1) event attended by community volunteers, neighborhood advocates, supportive donors and city officials.
The Community Garden is a project of the LB Neighborhood Leadership Program's "Waves 4 Change" team, along with LB Organic, Inc., the Wrigley Ass'n and multiple city agencies.
LBReport.com provides video and photo coverage below.
Among those we spotted [not a complete list]: First Lady Nancy Foster; Cong. Laura Richardson; Vice Mayor Val Lerch; Councilmembers Dee Andrews and Tonia Reyes Uranga; City Manager Pat West; RDA Central Project Area chair/Wrigley Ass'n President Annie Greenfeld-Wisner; Adriana Martinez, Wrigley Ass'n Garden Committee chair; NLP Team Mentor Kathleen McCleary; Event Coordinator/Mentor P.G. Herman; LB Organic, Inc. boardmember Joe Corso; LB branch of the Surfrider Foundation and the LB Redevelopment Agency.
Photo coverage below:
Mulch mound for future use after volunteers spread similar mulch last weekend (for prior LBReport.com coverage with video, click here.)
Arriving visitors sign in. Visible in photo immediately below wearing blue T-shirt: Kathleen McCleary, Development Project Mgr., Neighborhood Resource Center.
The event included multiple booths and exhibits.
LB Organic's Joe Corso.
LB First Lady (and constant photog) Nancy Foster.
LB Central Redevelopment PAC chair/Wrigley Ass'n President Annie Greenfeld-Wisner greets City Manager Pat West.
Councilman Dee Andrews, Event Coordinator/Mentor P.G. Herman, First Lady Nancy Foster.
6th dist. Councilman Dee Andrews and City of LB Neighborhood Resource Officer Margaret Madden
Vice Mayor/9th dist. Councilman Val Lerch.
Long-time NLB community advocate (and 9th dist. Council candidate) Dan Pressburg.
37th dist. Congresswoman (and former 6th dist. Councilwoman) Laura Richardson (D., Carson-LB) arrives and is among the speakers.
Adriana Martinez, Chair of the Wrigley Ass'n Garden Committee and Scott ("We Love LB") Jones
Neighborhood residents examine the layout of their neighborhood's new Community Garden
Members of the Neighborhood Leadership Program's Waves 4 Change team (who brought the Wrigley Village Community Garden to fruition) take a bow (names listed below)
A poem by NLP "Waves 4 Change" team member Sandra Johnson will be included on a plaque presented to the garden.
As you till the land
As you sow the seeds
May you reap
An abdundant harvest
Sandra Johnson
The plaque will also list the Waves 4 Change team members with recognitions to the LB City College Sheet Metal Club & Custom Laser Engraving...with special thanks to the City of LB.
LB's Neighborhood Leadership Program operates under the City's Neighborhood Services Bureau, facilitated by Margaret Madden, Francisco Rodriguez and Lydia Calvillo (also NRC employees).
"The NLP team, Waves 4 Change, did a fabulous job. This was a very large scale project and it's amazing what they were able to coordinate in such a short amount of time," said Event Coordinator/Mentor P.G. Herman. "Generally a project of this magnitude would probably take three to six months in the 'real world.'"
"Waves 4 Change" team of Neighborhood Leadership Program:
Patrick Bolden, Angela Escamillas, Po Fesili, Erica Guzman, Damon Johnson, Deborah Kearn, Laurel
Kutcher and Maria Vargas.
Wrigley Village Community Garden Celebration partners: Property Owner Annette LaBarca, SISco Business Services Inc; Long Beach Organic, Inc; and Wrigley Association.
Contributors: Adriana Marinez, A.Y. Nursery, All Pro Fence, Beach Greens, Botanical Interests, Buono's
Pizza, CAPA Productions, Carousel Party Supply, Central Project Area Committee, Cesar Chavez Youth Soccer Association, Custom Image Laser Engraving, El Rey Bakery, Food Finders Inc, Home Depot, Jean Curley, Jose's Fountains and Plants, LBTV 8, Leatapo Fesili, Lisa's Accessories, LB Barbershop, LB City College Sheet Metal Club, LB Redevelopment Agency, Margaret Madden, Miguel's Watches and Perfumes, Molina Foundation, Neighborhood Resource Center, 99 Cent Store, Northgate Market, Patrick Bolden-U.S. Veterans, P.G. Herman, Rick Berry, Sandra Johnson, Smith Paint, Springs of Hope Christian Ministries, Staples Office Supplies, Terre's Party Supplies, Tobechi Johnson, Thomas Hummel, Trader Joes,Youth Environment Leaders ('YEL')
Co-Sponsors: Long Beach Office of Sustainablility, Long Beach Parks, Recreation & Marine, Neighborhood Resource Center,
Weed and Seed Strategy, Wrigley Community Police Center.
Exhibitors: Beach Greens; Captain Cactus; LB Fire Ambassadors; Long Beach Organic, Inc; Long Beach
Water Dept; Neighborhood Leadership Program; Senior Police Volunteers; Surfrider Foundation, Weed
and Seed Strategy; Wrigley Association and Youth Environmental Leaders (YEL)
Activities: "Painting of Stepping Stones for the Garden" and "Seed Planting Demonstration by Adriana Martinez"
The Wrigley Village Community Garden on Pacific Ave. is planned to last at least five years and potentially longer.
A separately organized community garden opened last week in the 1900 block of Henderson Ave. that is contemplated to last two years at that location.
