August 4, 2021

SALT LAKE CITY – Today, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, the City’s Public Lands Department, and Wasatch Community Gardens (WCG) celebrated the completion of a new community garden at Richmond Park on 444 East and 600 South.

Through the Green City Growers Program partnership, Salt Lake City and WCG develop and coordinate sustainable, flourishing community gardens on City-owned land. The City identifies City-owned or managed parcels located on properties with access to a waterline and other conditions conducive to creating a successful and sustainable community garden. Richmond Park Community Garden is the sixth garden the City and WCG have created through the partnership.

“Community gardens support our local food system and create connections that build stronger communities. Utilizing portions of our open spaces to grow food also helps make our City more climate adaptive and resilient,” Mayor Mendenhall said. “This ongoing collaboration has resulted in a deeper relationship between the City and this important community partner.”

Wasatch Community Gardens received $50,000 through the City’s constituent Capital Improvement Program to construct the garden infrastructure. Public Lands’ staff assisted by preparing the site for garden boxes, fencing, a shed and seating areas. Construction was completed in 2020 but COVID-19 precautions delayed the grand opening event until now.

Thirty-three people have reserved plots in the garden, in what is now its second full growing season. WCG now operates 16 community gardens in Salt Lake County and estimates that over 26 tons of food are grown in their gardens each year. Ten of the gardens are located within Salt Lake City boundaries.

Richmond Park was named after human rights activist and community leader Mignon Barker Richmond, who was the first African-American woman to graduate from a college in Utah. Mignon also started the school lunch program for Stewart School at the University of Utah and served as the YWCA Food Services Director in Salt Lake City. The new community garden at Richmond Park is a step toward improving food accessibility in the area, which was an important cause to Mignon.

Residents interested in renting a plot in their local community garden can contact Wasatch Community Gardens at 801-359-2658 or van@wasatchgardens.org.

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