HomeMy WebLinkAbout050316_Earlington Community Garden
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2016
Contact:
Preeti Shridhar, Deputy Public Affairs Administrator, 425-430-6569
Renton Mayor Dedicates New Community Garden, Applauds Sustainable Efforts
Renton: On Monday, May 2, Mayor Denis Law participated in a ceremony to dedicate the new
community garden in the Earlington Hill neighborhood of Renton. Launched as a partnership
between the neighborhood and Sustainable Renton, the project will convert an open plot of
property owned by Seattle City Light and City View Church into a community garden. The
garden was named Little Mountain, the original name of the site when it was part of the
Duwamish Tribe, and Honorable Chair of the Duwamish Tribe Cecile Hanson and Mayor Law
lead the dedication.
“The Earlington Hill residents have created a model for seeking sustainable opportunities in
their community to make their neighborhood better,” said Mayor Law at the dedication. “We
are pleased to have partnered with the community. Working together we can each make a
difference and our neighborhoods a better place.”
Previously the vacant area attracted vagrants and the neighborhood struggled with people
loitering, car traffic and even criminal activity. The City of Renton responded to the concerns of
the Earlington Hill community by installing a gate that dramatically reduced the illegal activity.
Rhoda Green, a local resident, took the initiative and began the revitalization project in 2007.
Her plan was to landscape the neighborhood entrance with low maintenance native plants and
a new neighborhood identification sign. She got a grant from the City of Renton and
approached Sustainable Renton and Seattle City Light with a proposal to install a community
garden under the power lines located on SW Langston Road.
Following Monday’s dedication and blessing ceremony by the Duwamish Tribe, Sustainable
Renton will begin installing garden beds for community use as well as a food forest where
residents can forage. The project is expected to be completed by fall 2017.
About the City of Renton
The City of Renton, Washington is located on the southeast shore of Lake Washington with a
population just under 99,000. Renton's strong economic base, diverse marketplace and
favorable business climate have attracted the attention of nationally recognized companies that
are looking to provide employees and their families with an outstanding quality of life. It is the
home of Boeing, IKEA, the Seattle Seahawks, and the eternal resting place of Jimi Hendrix. More
information can be found at rentonwa.gov.
About Sustainable Renton
Sustainable Renton is a group of people who live and/or work in Renton that care greatly about
building a sustainable community – one that fosters connections between people, protects
natural resources, and treads as lightly as possible on the Earth. More information can be found
at sustainablerenton.org.
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