Bedford Stuyvesant
Hip, hip, hooray to the 1100 Bergen Street Community Garden for being installed into the Brooklyn Queens Land Trust.
The little plot of land on Bergen Street between Nostrand and New York avenues in Crown Heights began in 1980 and has grown into a place of beauty over the past 35 years, but is now protected in perpetuity for future generations.
Walton Wilson, its president, has been with the garden since its inception and has very high hopes for the coming years.
“A permanent green space in an urban community is very close to my heart and I am terribly excited that we are able to contribute these lots to that effort,” he said. “I hope to teach young people how to appreciate our garden for the future.”
Paula Segal, attorney for the garden and director of 596 Acres, which advocates for community access to land, shared in the delight of the honor.
“Getting long-term community gardens safely into stable land trusts is such a relief,” she said. “This transaction will further the larger strategy for community control of the resources and make our neighborhood thrive.”
Demetrice Mills, former board president of the Brooklyn Queens Land Trust and current chairwoman of the operations committee, was thrilled.
“I am so excited to play a part in preserving gardens from developers for development, and preserving them in perpetuity. This is big deal for all involved and the community at large.”
Standing O thinks so too, that’s why it’s blooming with joy for the Bergen Street green space, the 34th garden to be inducted into the trust.
Brooklyn Queens Land Trust [677 Lafayette Ave. and Marcy Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, (718) 963–7020].
