by Carla Caruso

Volunteers behind the Park Terrace Community Garden have called on Adelaide City Council for help.

The garden within Mary Lee Park (Park 27B) – opposite Bowden – has been a target of damage and theft. Once a thriving hub, activity is now in a ‘holding pattern’, with the garden being maintained at a bare minimum. 

Secretary Mike Lennon said he’d written to the council to enquire about security measures including fencing. He acknowledges, though, that the latter option would go against the council’s guidelines of keeping Your Park Lands open to the public.

The community garden was kickstarted by funding from Renewal SA and the City Council about five years ago, but it is maintained by volunteers. 

“For the first couple of years, it went fine,” Mike said. “But over the last two to three years, it’s been obvious that people might join up to our garden, and then we don’t see them again, because they can’t see the reward for any effort they put in.

“You might sow different sorts of veggies, and before they’re ripe, someone just comes in and says, ‘Thank you very much,’ and takes them. So, the model has failed.

“I think it’s just the nature of where it is. People can just go across there at night-time and they’re completely out of sight because there’s no housing around it for anyone to keep an eye on it. 

“The watering system has been damaged and parts of that ripped out. Plants that we had, like a passionfruit vine – someone just whacked it with a stick and trashed it. We’ve had squatters who moved in and stayed there for several weeks. Where there’s a little garden maze area, they used that for their toileting facilities.

“Across the other side of the car park, there’s a skate park, tennis courts, basketball courts, and picnic facilities. So, whether it’s people from there who wander across or just anyone who thinks they’re out for a bit of fun, we don’t know.”

The committee is also looking at other measures, like having individual plots for hire or using a different site entirely.

“We hope that we get something positive from the council,” Mike said. “Then, if we do, I’m sure other people would become more actively involved. We could start promoting it again.”

Despite the garden’s struggles, elsewhere, another unfenced community garden in Your Park Lands is flourishing. The Walyu Yarta Community Garden in Veale Park/Walyu Yarta (Park 21) is still going strong after 11 years. Check out our article on it here.