Not Surprised...

As badly as I had been hoping for a plot in our new community garden, meanwhile I had been crafting a blog post in my head to share one of my very real concerns. But before I could even post it, it turns out that my suspicions were correct, and so I was not the least bit surprised to receive the following email this afternoon...


Hi Gardeners

Last night was not a good night for the community garden, most of the gardens that had been planted up and had stakes in them have been vandalized. All the little boxes for the Special Needs students had been removed and thrown about. Thank goodness for Alvin, he was there and put them all back and staked them in. Thank you so much Alvin.

There was a red hose attached to our only water source which attracted much attention and the water was left running all night long. Some of the plots have bad water damage and are "floating". The City came & shut the water off so there will be no water available until Monday. If you are going to plant you will have to bring in your own supply.

PLEASE do not bring anything to the garden and leave it there as it may attract some unwanted attention. The city has started on the shed pad so I am hoping to be building the shed soon. COCG will supply all the hoses once the hose bibs have been put in by the city. Please don't take and leave any hoses at the garden. If you take a hose there, please take it home with you again.

Please remember, this is a  community garden so we are all in this together, the good, the bad and the ugly. Please help those who may need planting or replanting, even if your plot went untouched.

Thanks
Sandy


But of course it's been vandalized! I'm kinda surprised it didn't happen sooner when the garden was first built. Then again, I'm sure it's much more exciting to destroy people's plants instead of just kickin' around patches of dirt. 


While deceivingly peaceful enough, (with the exception of the pub on some nights...), our neighbourhood's generous green space sometimes attracts the wrong kinds of people. There's one corner on the far building that's always getting tagged. And in summers' past (and even once this spring) cars that park on the quiet cul de sac will occasionally get their windows smashed in by mischievous scamps throwing bricks. (We're fortunate enough to have underground parking...)


Now, maybe it's just me, but I've always figured that people who aren't afraid to tag buildings or smash car windows will have no qualms about tearing apart gardens. Sigh. 


Judging by my walk yesterday, so far only a few gardeners have put their plants in. (My plot neighbour Flo being one of them.) I feel really bad for those folks. I'm also wondering if our plot is among those floating, since it's right next to the water hookup. I guess I could walk down there and take a look, but at this point in time, I'd rather not.


Gosh, I can't imagine the heyday our neighbourhood creeps will have once the plants have grown a little or are ready to harvest... if they even get that far. I did overhear a very loud group hanging out on the path last night. And even though it's probably stereotyping, just because they were young and boisterous, I can't help but use my jump to conclusions mat and assume it was that group who did the garden trashing. 


Ah yes... good times on Sutton Cres. I'm suddenly thinking that maybe I should see how many more plants I can fit into that sliver of sunlight that hits the corner of our balcony... And as for the ones I do plant in the community garden, well, I'll consider those guys my little summertime experiment.