The Junior League of Boca Raton (JLBR) will unveil its new Community Garden on Saturday, October 16 at 10 a.m. at Meadows Park at 1300 NW 8th Street, Boca Raton with a ceremonial ribbon cutting. As part of the garden’s re-opening, the City will be celebrating Arbor Day with a tree giveaway for City residents. The trees will be native and fruiting trees. More information will be provided by the City in the coming weeks.
“We were delighted to work with the City and Brightline to move the JLBR Community Garden,” Jamie Sauer, President of the Junior League of Boca Raton said. “This joint effort will enable the community to come together through gardening.”
The garden is approximately 1.4 acres and will now contain approximately 100 plots available for patrons to lease. The new space will include both permaculture and pollinator gardens, as well as space for fruit trees and pineapples, as a nod to Boca Raton’s agricultural past. Ten percent of all fruits and vegetables harvested by individual garden plots will be donated to Boca Helping Hands. If a landscape installation will be added in the community garden, they may need the services of a landscaping company. In addition, professionals will need to come by every so often to provide landscape maintenance and weed control services as well. In addition, a tree removal service may also be necessary if there are rotten trees in the garden that need to be removed.
“The City is excited for our new, expanded community garden in a central location more accessible to our residents,” said Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer. “We are grateful to the Junior League and the dedicated gardeners and volunteers who will make this new location another Boca Raton treasure, and to Brightline for their substantial support for this project.”
The JLBR has worked closely with Brightline and the City of Boca Raton to relocate the garden that was formerly located across from the downtown public library. The initiative is part of Brightline’s investment in the city in addition to a new train station and parking garage. The garden is the definition of true community partnership. The City of Boca Raton made the new garden possible by providing the land, and Brightline made a major contribution to help fund the construction at the new location.
“We are happy to celebrate as the new Community Garden comes to fruition with the leadership of the Junior League and support of the City of Boca Raton,” said Patrick Goddard, president at Brightline. “This initiative is an example of Brightline’s mission to make a positive impact in the communities it touches. We thank the City of Boca Raton and the Junior League of Boca Raton for working with us toward these goals as we continue to expand and connect communities in South Florida.”
The unveiling of the Junior League of Boca Raton’s new Community Garden follows its groundbreaking which took place on May 10, 2021. The original Junior League of Boca Raton Community Garden broke ground on Earth Day 2010 with land donated by the city. The garden was the brainchild of Mayor Susan Whelchel, a Junior League sustainer, and it opened during her tenure. Since then, the Junior League of Boca Raton has managed and supported the garden. The original garden had a total of 97 plots that were leased to Boca Raton residents on a yearly basis. Historically, the garden has been the largest community garden in the state of Florida.