Is the Death of the Community Garden Park in Lake Forest near?

I got a smile from the title for the recent blog entry by Dr. Gardner for the dual use of the Whispering Hills Park site as a dog park and Community Garden Park. “Cabbage and Canine”. It was suggested by one of the Parks and Recreation Commissioners that the Whispering Hills site be divided into a duel dog park and Community Garden Park. After the meeting some more expressive terms such as Cabbages and Crap, Produce and Poop and the gourmet’s choice Lake Forest Shallots and sh--. Seriously, it was an ill thought out suggestion and was countered with the health dangers for placing a source of animal fecal waste adjacent to a raw food source. There are number websites that discuss the intestinal strains of bacteria which cause food borne illness. “Dog waste is a disease-bearing, toxic pollutant associated with coliform bacteria, salmonella, giardia, and E. coli” We have a food borne illness from raw produce often brought into the country, so to create of dual use dog park and Community Garden Park where rain run-off, human and pet cross contamination would occur could be disastrous from a public health perspective.

But there are other serious drawbacks, other than the obvious health issues, for a dual use for the Whispering Hills Park site as a Dog Park and Community Garden Park. The concept as presented at www.lfgardenpark.com, has three major components: demonstration gardens which are educational oriented and tired into schools and youth organization with workshops on nutrition, growing food, and the lifelong benefits of gardening. A section of individual gardens and an area designated as a “giving garden” where produce is giving to a local food bank. Sadly, the conceptual plan for the Lake Forest Community Garden Park is very tight. Even the slope area would be used as demonstration for water reclamation, citrus and vineyard demonstrations. To try to squeeze a dog run, dog area onto the site would require the removal of one or more the components most likely the educational component. Since the education component is one of the major funding sources through grants and donations for the educational tie-ins, to the extent the concept of Community Garden Park would no longer be feasible if it were removed.

From a legal perceptive the 501 (C) 3 which is the non-profit which would be the conduit for tax deductible grants and donations for the Lake Forest Community Garden Park is very specific. Since for the donation and tax deductible status, transparence it paramount. We want organizations and individuals to know exactly where their money is going. The 501 (C) 3 working name is Lake Forest Gardens at Whispering Hills. Grants and donations are specific to a Community Garden Park at the Whispering Hills Park site and cannot be used for other sites. There is an exception clause that if the site were approved for an alternative use, the community garden park concept could be relocated, with donor approval, to a neighboring city more receptive to the idea of providing education and recreational opportunities to their residents.

I was delighted that I heard the dual use of a Dog Park and Community Garden concept brought thoughts of the Biblical story of King Solomon’s wisdom. To refresh our memories two woman came before the King claiming that a baby was theirs. King Solomon having only the word of each woman that the baby was their child, drew his sword and suggest slicing the baby into two pieces, each woman receiving half a baby. The true mother of the child, unwilling to compromise and perverse the life of her child said give the baby to the other woman. The impostor was willing to accept a compromise and half a child, as she had nothing to lose. King Solomon knew who was the rightful mother by their response and returned the child to the real parent.

So the suggestion has been made to slice the Whispering Hills Park site in two for a Dog Park and Community Garden Park. Some which have not researched the situation view it as a “solution”, while others view it as the “Death of the Community Garden Park in Lake Forest”. For those that have put many hours of effort and funds to organize and spearhead the Community Garden Park effort maybe the Wisdom of Solomon is a good guide. Rather that compromise the health and well-being of children and adults by incapable uses, it would be better to relocate the Community Garden Park concept to a neighboring City which are more receptive. It’s only a suggestion.

I have tried several times to post comments and answers to questions on other blogs but they never appear. I may not be technically savvy enough, but I have tried.

I'm looking for the dog in the picture.