COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, May 11, 2009

QUESTION NO.5

QUESTION: Councillor T. McDermott

To ask the Manager to detail the SDCC policy regarding community gardening and would he make a statement on the matter?

REPLY:

The concept of Community Gardening is relatively well established in other countries but is relatively unknown in this country.

Community Gardens have generally developed in other countries in urban areas in response to the lack of private garden space.

Essentially they are the result of interested people in a community coming together to practice horticulture - growing fruit, vegetables and flowers.

They are somewhat different to allotments in so far as they represent a group combining their efforts to produce a garden which is worked by all members. In other countries, they have been developed on small pockets of fallow urban land by local communities, often in association with local schools.

The Council does not have a policy per se on the issue of community gardening but has assisted local residents with the development of the Greenhills Community Garden on a small piece of land, located to the rear of St. James’ / St. Peter’s Road, which is owned by a community trust.

The Council has also provided a form of community garden in Sean Walsh Park in Tallaght. The garden was developed with Menni Services who run a horticultural training module. Parts of the garden were planted up by and are maintained by patients of Menni Services in association with staff of the Parks Department. The garden is also a place where families and friends of patients can visit and appreciate the garden.

The Parks Department also provided another community garden at St. Joseph’s School in Balrothery in 2008. The “Garden for All Seasons” was an award winning entry in Bloom 2008 and was again developed with the children and staff of St. Joseph’s.  The garden was designed and constructed by staff of the Parks Department on the basis of sustainability, with a particular emphasis on use of recycled materials wherever possible, and universal access.  The garden was relocated to the school grounds after Bloom 2008 where it is now used for growing a range of herbs, edible plants and flowers by children and staff of the school.

 It is the Council’s intention to continue to assist, subject to resources, similar projects put forward by local groups and communities.