When the upcoming Student Thriving Complex was announced last spring, the Community Garden club’s members had to find a new space. Those students chose to celebrate the garden as a safe space in the AU community with a potluck dinner hosted on Nov. 11.
The safe space will continue to provide that same sanctuary for students in the coming calendar year, simply in another location. The garden will be relocated between Katzen and Nebraska Hall next semester. The exact date remains unconfirmed and will be announced on the garden’s Instagram page and website.
“We are in meetings every week with [Facilities Management] to ensure the space comes to life by next semester,” Emily Stinneford, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said. “We are definitely improving on our current space.”
Relocating will allow the club members to improve the space and start fresh.
“We’re going to have two irrigation systems; we’re going to have brand new aluminum beds — some of them are going to be raised; we’re going to have trellises,” Stinneford said. “And we just began brainstorming creative ideas for the new space.”
The farewell event allowed students to reflect on the work they have done throughout the years and the memories they had made as a community.
“I was mostly involved in the beekeeping club, so we did some joint events so I always enjoyed seeing them getting the honey from the hives,” Olivia Levin, a junior in CAS, said. “It’s a nice gathering place for the campus community.”
“As sad as it is that we’re losing this space, it is really exciting that we have this new project that we’ve had so much creative control over,” Stinneford said.
The Community Garden’s office is located on the third floor of the Mary Graydon Center, in Room 303. Questions about the relocation can go to Facilities Management, the Office of Sustainability or the Community Garden club directly.
“As much as I love the weekly workdays, I think when we have events like this and bring everyone out, it’s just such a special moment,” Stinneford said.
This article was edited by Patricia McGee and Abigail Pritchard. Copy editing done by Isabelle Kravis and Olivia Citarella.
