Category: News

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Adjusting Mission and New Oversight and Advocacy Board

Previously, the main purpose of this website was to advocate for changes to make the garden a better place. The challenge with the city over the Water Wars turned our mission to advocacy for regular water. Without water gardening was impossible. We also advocated for the need to have more autonomy over garden decisions.

Some of these issues were addressed with the closing of the gardens for the installing the new irrigation system.

The other issue was the questionable management of the gardens by the haphazard garden leadership. To help with this, two non-profits were brought in by the city to help – From Lott To Spot, and LA Community Garden Council. For a fee, they are assisting us with the administration of the garden, including dues, payments, improvements, and leadership.

Our New Focus Going Forward

Moving forward advocacy will still be in the fore-front of our mission, but we realize the important of having an Oversight function as well. Since there are some many parties now involved in the decision-making process it is vital to ensure the leadership is held responsible for their decisions and make ensure that they represent the gardeners.

The Start of an Oversight Board

We will now also function as an Oversight Board to ensure not only the garden leadership is held to account, but also, the other parties involved including, and not limited to LA Community Garden Council, the City, the Major’s office, LA Sanitation, et al. With out proper follow up it is very easy for commitments to fall through the cracks. The start of an Oversight Board will make sure the rules and regulations are being fairly and consistently being applied. Everyone will be able to bring their issues to this website and discuss any violations, inconsistencies and other inequitable issues that will arise in the future. This site will serve as an independent and anonymous way to bring issues to the fore-front so they can be addressed.

To Join the Oversight and Advocacy Board

  • Cannot hold a current leadership position in the San Pedro Community Garden or any parties involved in the administration of the gardens.
  • You can be a member of the San Pedro Community Gardens or have experience with other community gardens
  • Be in good standing with the San Pedro Community Gardens
  • Want to learn and improve the community
  • Represent people to might not be able to advocate for themselves
  • Be able to take a stand against injustice
  • Be a role model for others to look up to
  • Volunteer a few hours a week
  • Access to a computer and work with Google docs or other collaboration system online

Join the Board by emailing your interest to: spcogardens@gmail.com

Report Issues about the Gardens

If you have an issue, please bring it up. If this has happened to you, then prevent it from happening again – do not remain silent.

You can remain anonymous if you like. Please report any issue you think should be addressed here: spcogardens@gmail.com

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Proposed: 2021 Winter Watering Schedule

Each season has its unique watering needs. Combined with light winter rains and decreased sunshine the ground remains wet longer.

The California drought has added more strain on the water needs and the goal of water conservation in the garden becomes very important.

Combining all these factors, plus the fact that gardeners are now responsible for sharing their cost of the water usage, the watering hours have been adjusted as follows:

Watering Times

Mon, Wed, Sat:
Mornings: 6am – 10am
Evenings : 3pm – 6pm

“gardeners are now responsible for paying their cost of the water usage which varies from month-to-month based on each gardeners water usage.”

Paul Pudhnum
Acting Garden President

For most up-to-date information about watering schedules can be found here, and postings will also be made a the garden.

This schedule will be changed each season to reflect the appropriate water needs for that specific growing season. This schedule is also subject to change due to new water conservations rules, leadership discretion, or emergency maintenance.

Please email (spcogardens@gmail.com) water comments/issues to the garden leadership.

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Coronavirus And The Garden Reopening Date

The garden reopening date of March 1, 2020, as stated by the Joe Buscaino’s office, is delayed. We are near the the end of March, one month after the date the City announced the gardens would reopen. There still remains is no word on when the gardens will reopen.

The coronavirus has hampered everyone’s lives including the installation of the water piping and therefor the opening of the garden.

As of few weeks ago, I did see workers installing water piping. Now the gardens are complete closed off.

There have been no updates from the city or the groups involved in the renovation of the garden. Many are working from home so updates and communication is possible. They need to commit to updates as gardeners would like to get back to gardening in the fresh air.

These parties have a responsibility to gardens as well as being good custodians to update and communicate the status to us gardeners. Existing in silo in this age of technology is unacceptable.

Times are challenging, but good people rise to the challenge to help others.

If you have info send it to us, so it can be posted here.

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Construction Work Phase Started

Even though the garden has been closed since about August 1, 2019, there were no signs of any work being done.

Beginning on about January 7, 2020 there were finally construction signs posted and people doing work to install new water piping for the garden.

This is the official website for the San Pedro Community Gardens (SPCG). Please check back for updates.

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LA Sanitation Dept. Management Must Resolve Gardeners Water Problems In An Adult Manner

No Water for 8 weeks again

Gardeners were left without water again. There was no notice, no warning, no nothing. To bad for the people who were trying to grow organic vegetables, and fruits to feed their families. Los Angeles City does not care, or do they?!

Every time the water is cut off unexpectedly, you are hurting people and families who depend on their gardens to feed their families with the vegetable they grow.

There are many people struggling and growing their own food is a noble aspiration. Times are hard. People are having a real crisis with affordability in our city with rent, transportation, and food cost so high here. Gardening is an important aspect to supplement this crisis and shutting off the water unexpectedly is shutting down the ability for people to feed their children and themselves.

The Los Angeles City and Los Angeles Sanitation department should respect the gardeners and provide adequate representation to resolve water issues in a timely manner. These problems are solvable with the right adults sitting down to resolve it.