Garden project to keep Millvale in bloom
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Ben Gould, 16, a volunteer from Fox Chapel, and Amy Rappa, the Gardens of Millvale coordinator, put together cold frames for the gardens on Butler Street in Millvale.
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A group of Millvale residents is attempting to beautify the borough and possibly alleviate flooding at the same time.
The Gardens of Millvale beautification and urban gardening project has had an enthusiastic response, and the borough soon will be blossoming with plants, flowers and vegetables. In addition, the program encourages residents to develop rain gardens or use rain collection barrels to manage storm water.
"The goal is to distribute donated plants for use in common areas around the community," said Amy Rappa, community gardens coordinator.
The undertaking began in March 2010 with a meeting of a focus group of volunteers and people interested in a greening initiative. Millvale Garden Club was recently organized and will take responsibility for beds planted in vacant spaces around the borough.
An Allegheny County program, Allegheny Grows, provided a two-year grant last year to start community gardens along Butler Street on land where homes had been razed after flooding from Hurricane Ivan in 2004.
"The original Butler Street site had 13 raised gardens, 12 for families and the 13th raised higher for folks who couldn't stoop to garden," Ms. Rappa said.
Also last year, GTECH, a nonprofit whose name stands for Growth Through Energy and Community Health, provided sunflowers for one of the lots, where 10 additional beds will be available.
No fee was charged in 2010, but $5 will be charged this year to become a member of the Gardens of Millvale and to use a garden plot, Ms. Rappa said.
One lot will become a community orchard, with fruit trees, raspberries, blueberries and other edible perennial fruits, she said. Grow Pittsburgh, which promotes city gardening, works with Allegheny Grows and provided instructions in proper growing techniques.
Other gardens in town include five community plots behind the future Millvale Library on Grant Avenue and the Grant Avenue Pocket Park created last year.
The project has had other benefits. "It's nice tying in our gardens. There is no age restriction and people like the fresh food. People have started coming out of their houses," said Brian Wolovich, who started the campaign for a borough library.
First Published April 28, 2011 5:52 am
