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Staff writer

Come this summer, gardeners will have a public spot in Andover to grow their favorite vegetables or flowers.

The senior pastor of Grace Lutheran Church approached the Andover Park and Recreation Commission last November to offer space for a community garden on property the church owns on the southwest corner of Nightingale Street and 151st Lane.

People who live or work in Andover can immediately apply for one of the plots in the three-quarters of an acre garden by calling Andover City Hall.

The remaining plots will be open to the general public starting April 5. Additional plots can be purchased starting April 26 if any are available.

According to Rev. Mark Hellman, Grace Lutheran Church purchased this secondary site in 2000 to eventually develop a satellite church. The church’s primary site would remain on the southeast corner of Bunker Lake and Round Lake boulevards in Andover.

Given the economic times, Hellman said the church’s goal is to grow and strengthen its existing location before launching a second site.

“I think this would give you guys an opportunity to help give something back to the community with some land that you’re not using right now and also give us kind of an idea of what the demand is in the area for having these community garden plots,” Park and Recreation Commission Chairman Ted Butler told Hellman during the Nov. 19, 2009 commission meeting.

The annual fees are set to be $30 for a 10-foot by 15-foot plot, $50 for a 25-foot by 35-foot plot and $60 for a 20-foot by 75-foot plot.

The fees would help recoup start-up costs and ongoing city water costs. Gardeners would need to bring their own hose to water their plants.

The church is attempting to obtain donated topsoil, which accounts for over half of the start-up costs. The upfront costs include topsoil ($5,500), water connection service parts ($2,800) and irrigation parts ($750). The annual water usage charge is estimated to be $500.

The preliminary plan is to have 24 of the 10-foot by 15-foot plots, 16 of the 25-foot by 35-foot plots and five of the 20-foot by 75-foot plots, although City Engineer and Public Works Superintendent David Berkowitz said this is flexible depending on what the demand is.

The city will connect to a nearby water pipe, bringing a new pipe to the garden. Plastic irrigation pipes would run through the garden. The site will be metered so the city knows how much water is being used, according to Todd Haas, assistant city engineer.

Parking would be allowed along 151st Lane, but not Nightingale Street. Berkowitz said the city would keep track of the neighborhood feedback in case there are mounting complaints.

Berkowitz said if the community garden goes away, the city would salvage the topsoil and watering system parts.

Hellman anticipates this garden being at this central spot in Andover for many years. Even if the secondary site develops in the near future, the 9.2-acre property affords the space for a less than one-acre community garden.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact Haas at 763-767-5131.

Community investment

Grace Lutheran Church will be heavily invested in this garden beyond providing the land.

Haas said the westerly third of the community garden would be available to the church at no charge because of the land donation. The city will pay the church a minimal $2 over the term of the initial lease agreement from April 1, 2010 to Nov. 15, 2011.

Hellman wants his church members to have plots where food can be grown for its food pantry and Family Table in which the church feeds hungry people in need once a month.

Grace Lutheran Church is trying to grow by forming relationships of trust and investing in the community, Hellman said.

Every summer and early fall, Grace Lutheran Church hosts the Andover Farmers Market.

The market on its primary site and the community garden on its secondary site are good book-ends showing community involvement, Hellman said.

When community members are pulling weeds and planting they are talking, and this really helps strengthen the community, he said.

“If our community doesn’t all work together to make a stronger place for our family and kids, we’re not going to be successful,” Hellman said.

Another garden

Community gardens have been popping up in multiple cities. Two of Andover’s neighbors—Coon Rapids and Ramsey—have them.

Al Pearson of the Ramsey Foundation, which worked with the city to get this community garden going, said the first year was very successful with 18 garden plots planted on by the Ramsey city water tower along Nowthen Boulevard.

According to Pearson, there are 28 plots already lined up for next year.

“I was extremely pleased,” he said.



Eric Hagen is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it