NYC Parks Cuts Ribbon on Keap Fourth Garden in Brooklyn

NYC Parks Deputy Commissioner Larry Scott Blackmon today joined Director of Food Policy for the Mayor's Office Barbara Turk, GreenThumb Director Nancy Kohn, and community partners to cut the ribbon on Keap Fourth Garden in Brooklyn.

Thanks to $25,000 in funding provided by the Mayor's Office, the NYC Parks Land Restoration Project, GrowNYC, and community volunteers were able to construct 10 garden beds, a garden shed, new fencing, a compost bin, and a gazebo with a rainwater harvesting system that will provide water for the garden. Keap Fourth Garden will also be offering a number of educational programs for local youth, including a music program on Mondays, arts and crafts activities on Fridays, and compost education workshops on weekends throughout the gardening season.

"We are pleased to welcome Keap Fourth Garden into New York City's thriving urban agriculture community," said Commissioner Blackmon. "This city's newest GreenThumb garden will provide vital green space, hands-on educational opportunities, and fresh, local produce for neighboring communities, and will help strengthen neighborhood ties between New Yorkers of all ages."

"Improving the health and well-being of neighborhoods is of critical importance to the Mayor," said Ms. Turk. "This community garden, and all the activities this space makes possible, will strengthen this community. We are grateful to those who first dreamed of this garden, and to the Parks Department for helping make this garden a reality."

Keap Fourth Garden is registered with GreenThumb and is under the jurisdiction of NYC Parks. The garden will be open to the public for a minimum of 20 hours per week throughout the gardening season, and welcomes new members and volunteers. The garden's ten raised beds will grow raspberries, strawberries, native wildflowers, kale, basil, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peas, radishes, sunflowers, and more.

Beginning in January 2012, the Mayor's Office identified approximately a dozen city-owned lots suitable for new community gardens, and allocated approximately $400,000 for their conversion into active gardens. The gardens, are run by local garden groups, are intended to promote healthy living practices in New York City.

GreenThumb provides educational and material support, including new tools, workshops, and soil and compost deliveries, to approximately 600 community gardens across the five boroughs. GreenThumb, a division of the New York City Parks Department, is the largest community gardening program in the country. For more information on membership or volunteering with a GreenThumb garden, visit www.greenthumbnyc.org or visit the NYC Parks website at www.nyc.gov/parks and search for "GreenThumb."

Photo Credit: NYC Parks

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