Title
Resolution in support of the establishment of the McCarty Park Community Garden.
Body
Whereas, Community gardens are valuable assets, encouraging healthy nutrition and increased physical activity, while rallying community engagement and social interaction, fostering safety/crime prevention, and providing economic vitality for a neighborhood and its residents; and
Whereas, The West Allis Community Garden Committee, with the assistance of the City of West Allis Health Department, was established over six years ago to further community gardening in the City; and
Whereas, Due to the Committee’s vision about starting community gardens in West Allis, and through the combined efforts of the Milwaukee County Parks, the UW Extension, the City of West Allis Health Department, the Home Depot, the West Allis Community Improvement Foundation, and the West Allis Community Garden Committee, the first garden was established in Rainbow Park in 2014; and
Whereas, Rainbow Park Garden has a long waiting list and residents in the McCarty Park vicinity have expressed interest and demonstrated leadership to develop a new community garden; and
Whereas, The Milwaukee County UW-Extension SEED (Sowing, Empowering, and Eliminating Food Deserts) program plans to construct 1,000,000 square feet of new community gardens in Milwaukee County during 2016.
Now, Therefore be it Resolved, that the Common Council of the City of West Allis, endorses the development of a community garden on underutilized land in McCarty Park as part of the UW-Extension SEED Program, and, be it
BE IT Further RESOLVED that the Common Council of the City of West Allis directs City Departments to provide technical assistance and support to the McCarty Park Community Garden.