Big…really big plans for beautifying Lakeside in ’09

Parks Advisory/ Community Garden board members and workers ready the 23 beds (24, if you count the cold case) for a new season of gardeners.

Saturday’s fertilizing and liming event for the community garden brought out mainly Parks Advisory Community Garden Committee (PACG) board members.

They prepared 19 planting beds and a cold case for the upcoming garden season.

And big ideas are brewing for a Lakeside makeover this summer.

While the PACGC has been in action for just under two years, it is growing by branch and buds, as the area for gardening plots is already at capacity and even participating committee members haven’t been able to get a bed of their own.

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To date, specific spots had also been targeted for beautification. Those include the front of McKays, the water office, the front of city hall, the path leading to the garden and the front of the new waste water plant. Mission accomplished.

In terms of goals that went along with these locations, the review shows these have been reached. These include:

• creating a friendly and secure place for all ages to garden,
• involve a cross section of the community,
• rely on volunteers, and;
• donations and grants.

Master gardener, Diane O’Bryan says, “I am really impressed with the work of our PACG board and all they have done for Lakeside.”

She adds: “The community garden is a great success and the fact that we had so many applications and filled all the plots so quickly speaks to the need for the garden’s presence in the community”

Aaron Richards, the tender of the cold case, can attest to it’s success in

Lettuce pray for a good crop

providing a winter crop of fresh lettuce and onions.

The 2009 agenda

Looking to 2009, there are some specific areas also targeted for beautification. These include:

• the north and south entrances off of the highway,
• something friendly and restful beside the post office,
• dressing the area at the corner of N. Lake and N. Eighth,
• welcoming banners at the entrance to the downtown
• and participation in a playground project called park “funscape.”

The latter may be the biggest challenge, as it includes both traditional play equipment and a soft scape, estimated size of 80′ by 100′.

It will be located where the old play equipment is. Plans are still in the works.

Several groups involved

The playground project will perhaps take a span of three years to complete. The goal is to make it a family-fun destination.

These will be a challenge for all the organizations in Lakeside. Several folks, representing a variety of organizations have already committed themselves toward these goals.

The project will be dependent on volunteers, and grants along with donations. PACG is confident this can be made so. It believes that past experience with Harmony Garden speaks well for the community and it’s willingness to work on beautifying the town.