A prime plot of Ann Arbor land is no longer lying fallow. The former Washtenaw County Juvenile Center has donated a new parcel to
Project Grow, a community gardening and educational non-profit.
The site is being converted into 20 full-sized 25-foot by 30-foot garden plots, measuring about 750 square feet apiece. The plots should be available for rent within the next couple of weeks, according to Nicole Premo, a board member of the non-profit.
A couple of Project Grow board members spearheaded the acquisition of the juvenile center site at 2270 Platt Road, which is adjacent to another community garden at the County Farm Park.
"Every year we see that this beautiful piece of land has gone pretty much untouched since the juvenile facility closed," says Premo. "It has a big open space, not very many trees in that space, so it seems like a perfect garden site."
Project Grow is managing 15 sites around Ann Arbor, comprising about 350 individual gardens. A full-sized plot rents for $130 per season, a half-sized for $85. Site preparation and water are included in the cost. Many gardeners return each season. This year, 380 applications were received, of which 230 were renewals.
"I would imagine that we have at least 700 people gardening as a result of our plots," Premo says.
Source: Nicole Premo, Project Grow board member
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.