A National City nonprofit will temporarily manage the Tijuana River Community Garden, San Diego County said Friday.
From a pool of three applicants, the county said it selected Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center to operate the 17-acre, county-owned property for up to one year. The move prevents gardeners, many of whom have subleased plots there for years, from having to leave.
In a statement Friday, the nonprofit's Executive Director Jen Nation said the organization was “honored.”
“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to cultivating community, celebrating culture, and expanding equitable access to fresh, healthy food,” she added. “And, ensures the community of gardeners who have been cultivating the land for years can continue to operate their gardens and build on their passion for healthy food, gardening, and access to space in their local neighborhoods.”
In late September, the Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County, a special district that has managed the community garden since 2002, notified gardeners that it would no longer renew its lease with the county and gardeners would have 60 days to vacate the property.
The agency cited health and safety concerns about the Tijuana River sewage crisis as the reason for ending its lease.
San Diego County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre, whose District 1 includes the garden, met with several dozen gardeners last month who expressed to her their concerns about displacement. Aguirre said she then directed county staff to urgently find an interim operator until a permanent replacement was found.
Located on Hollister Street near Sunset Avenue in the Tijuana River Valley, the garden consists of more than 200 garden plots and 10 quarter-acre plots for farming businesses.
The county said it is negotiating a license agreement with Olivewood Gardens.
According to the organization’s website, Olivewood Gardens was established in 2008 and its 8-acre site on N Avenue “acts as a resource for community members to explore health education, environmental stewardship, and community connection.”
The nonprofit offers nutrition lessons, cooking classes, hands-on gardening and leadership development programs to families with limited access to healthy food and educational opportunities.
