Community garden returns to La Salle thanks to a local volunteer

Amateur and professional gardeners in the Illinois Valley will have another garden to share their green thumbs as La Salle will open a Community Garden in 2025.

The garden will be located near the city’s fire station at 1227 Fifth St.

Deputy Clerk Brent Bader said Monday the city has been working with Renee Kim, a local volunteer, with a website to assist Kim in seeking volunteers.

“We can only do so much as city staff,” he said. “But once you find somebody who has a vested interest in doing it and then can handle it afterwards then of course the city of La Salle is going to pitch in and help.”

Bader said the city has the beds prepared and a survey for people to fill out online to determine interest.

Mayor Jeff Grove said he was excited to have the garden brought back and it will be in a great location.

“In the past we had a community garden,” he said. “It was great because it was a nice collaboration with a lot of volunteers ... And this new group came in and wanted to bring it to our attention and we thought it would be a great location for it.”

Bader said Kim came to the city a few years ago with the idea for the garden.

“I have read about and seen the benefits of community gardens for a few years now and want to bring this opportunity to La Salle,” Kim said in a news release. “In addition to giving access to food and flowers, community gardens increase physical activity, recreation and social involvement. I have enjoyed growing vegetables, fruits and flowers in my garden and would like to share this joy with others.”

A community garden is a parcel of land divided into many individual beds, the news release said. The beds will be made available for individuals or groups to rent for a nominal fee every year to grow vegetables, fruits, flowers or herbs. The use of the bed requires commitment from participants to maintain them by planting, weeding, harvesting and cleaning after the growing season.

“This bed would be comprised of raised beds and filled with soil that are without legs,” the news release said. “One bed will be maintained by Kim for the Illinois Valley Food Pantry.”

La Salle is trying to determine interest in the garden by asking interested participants to fill out a short online survey at https://forms.office.com/g/EPE7yEbkbp .