City of Rochester
News Release
(Thursday, March 10, 2022) – Part of the fun of gardening is in the planning, and Mayor Malik D. Evans wants to inspire new gardeners to join Rochester’s vibrant gardening community. To that end, the City has created a new web page—www.cityofrochester.gov/communitygardens—with information on how to apply for and receive a garden permit for City-owned vacant lots. The web page also consolidates information about community gardens and local gardening resources for one-stop shopping.
“Spring is a time for transformation—and this administration is all about making our community assets blossom and grow,” Mayor Evans said. “Gardens not only make neighborhoods more beautiful, they build connections. Our elders can share their plant wisdom with our youth. New Americans can grow traditional foods and share their culture with us. We want to encourage more residents to share in the benefits of community gardening.”
Anyone living near a City-owned vacant lot is invited to start a new community garden, with a goal of adding four to six new gardens, at least one per quadrant in the city, and to identify possible locations for new fruit trees.
“Studies show that gardens and green spaces improve physical and mental health, reduce crime and create neighborhood cohesion,” said City Councilmember Mitch Gruber. “I am thrilled that the Evans administration is making a concerted effort to increase and expand gardens and green spaces in our community, and I look forward to being a partner in that process.”
The City will be working with Taproot Collective, the Blocks in Bloom and Master Gardener’s programs of the Cornell Cooperative Extension, and the SouthEast Area Coalition’s Tool Shed. City officials also want to expand their work with local gardening groups and experienced gardeners in the community.
“The City is here to support you. But the hard work of planting and tending will be up to you. Together we can make the Flower City even more beautiful than it already is,” Evans said.
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