Recently, Pell City Gateway Community Garden volunteers have harvested over 800 pounds of potatoes, with an additional 1000 pounds drying and up to 800 pounds more still in the ground. Photo by U. Glidewell

The Pell City Gateway Community Garden has been growing over the past three years. Now, thanks to a $10,000 grant from The Greater Birmingham Foundation North East, they will be able to expand that dream even more.

“This is not just a garden to feed the needy,” said Debbie Smith, who has volunteered with the garden since the beginning. “This is also a healing and restorative garden that the community can use and enjoy nature.”

Volunteers with the community garden, city leaders, and representatives from the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama were present for the groundbreaking ceremony and recognition last week.

Over the past three years, the Pell City Gateway Community Garden has donated hundreds of pounds of freshly grown produce from spring and fall harvests to the Christian Love Pantry, Good Works Foundation, local churches, and the Pell City Senior Center. Recently, volunteers have harvested over 800 pounds of potatoes, with an additional 1000 pounds drying and up to 800 pounds more still in the ground.

They were previously located on Comer Avenue on a corner of the old Avondale Mills property. The City of Pell City allowed the garden to use a portion of the property, but because of possible soil contaminants, the Garden had stipulations to have raised beds for planting and could not plant directly into the ground.

“This is poised to go to new levels,” said Pell City City Manager Brian Muenger. “We are so proud to see their mission grow to alleviate hardship in the community through partnerships with organizations such as the Love Pantry.  These organizations not only meet those needs, but the opportunity to give of ourselves.”

At the new location on Mays Bend Rd. the Garden has room to grow. St. Simon Peter Episcopal Church Reverend Mollie Roberts has been supportive of the project, allowing the garden the use of church property to grow produce.

“This is part of a terrific effort to provide food for those in need,” Rev. Roberts said. “This will also make the community prettier, inviting, and create a space for people to be contemplative and be outdoors. It is such a great opportunity.”

The Community Garden has plans to expand in the new space, which will now allow them to plant fruit trees and more produce. The new plans will also include a water feature, benches, greenhouse, and allow for underground irrigation, which will make it easier for volunteers to maintain the garden.

“We have created a beautiful plan and we hope the community will come out and help us create our vision into a special place to grow fruits and vegetables to give back to the community in need,” said Renee Lilly, Vice President of Gateway Community Garden.

Jennifer Maddox, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama was present for the groundbreaking ceremony. The mission of the Community Foundation in the nine counties they cover is to achieve positive change.

According to the Community Foundation website, yourcommunityfirst.org, Open Spaces Sacred Places are “spaces intended for the encouragement of community well-being, and resilience of mind/body/spirit of both individuals and communities.”

“We can all be philanthropists,” Maddox said. “With ‘Open Spaces, Sacred Places’ this is the official beginning of that journey. I look forward to sitting on a bench in your garden. I am excited for you and glad to be a part of your journey.

Updates on the garden will begin soon and must be completed within two years.

For more information about Pell City Gateway Community Garden, contact 205-505-9291.