Background 

The Scott County Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) and the Community Action Partnership (CAP) Agency have been running a community garden site called the Backstretch Garden, located near Canterbury Park since 2016. Backstretch Gardens was created to provide community members more opportunities for healthy eating through increased access to fresh produce. Community gardens offer unique opportunities to provide healthier food options, develop new skills, and foster a greater sense of community. Produce grown in the communal garden and other garden plots are donated to the CAP Agency food shelf and WIC in an effort to offer better food alternatives to customers.

Proposed Action

The county and the CAP Agency have been working for some time to relocate the garden due to continued development of the Canterbury area and staff identified an undeveloped park parcel (PID #270220230) which abuts a SPU-owned parcel located at 10th Avenue and Main St.

Staff is proposing to enter into a license agreement with SHIP to allow for the construction of a fenced-in community garden space located partially on the city-owned land and partially on the SPU-owned land. SPU has generously donated the installation of a waterline to garden area as well as covering the water costs, and the University of Minnesota Extension has offered to help with moving the garden beds. The CAP Agency will continue to use the space to grow produce for food shelf participants and community members are invited to rent beds and garden together. 

A community survey was sent out to the surrounding blocks for input and to develop interest in the use of the neighborhood plots.

Next Steps

If approved by the Council tonight, all parties will sign the license agreement and SHIP will begin the movement of materials to the site to begin the growing season.