2 Minutes 02-28-13 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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South Bend Redevelopment Commission Regular Meeting — February 28, 2013 6. NEW BUSINESS B. Airport Economic Development Area (6) continued... seating area for the surrounding community to gather, and hosts an annual La Salle Square Luau to celebrate the garden and those who benefit from its produce. Sara Stewart, whose first garden in 2008 has grown to 48 in 2012, gave an update on Unity Garden's impact, goals, and vision for the future. Ms. Stewart has been working with AEP to bring electricity to the site. She is actively fundraising to cover any costs not donated by AEP, and asks the Redevelopment Commission to consider a possible future funding request if so needed. In December 2011, the Redevelopment Commission and Unity Gardens entered into a Temporary Use and License Agreement (Agreement) for the La Salle Square garden. This Agreement is for a one year period, with renewable options for four successive twelve month periods (November 1 through October 31). Within the Agreement, the Commission is granted termination rights upon written notification. If termination occurs, the Redevelopment Commission agrees to pay Unity Gardens up to $10,000 to relocate up to three temporary structures. Because of Unity Garden's outreach and growth at this site, and to assist it to grow into the future, staff requests Redevelopment Commission's approval to amend the Agreement by extending it to 15 years, keeping in place its termination rights for development opportunities, and to increase the relocation payment up to $20,000, to accommodate the future growth of the garden. Ms. Stewart noted that without the vision and support of the Redevelopment Commission which has been involved for many years, this would not be possible. Unity Gardens has always been about growing food. There are 50 gardens scheduled for 2013. Thousands of people involved engaged in Unity Gardens. There are hundreds of harvesters every single day during peak season . We are growing a lot. The real growth has had nothing to do with the crops; it has to do with community connections, such as educational opportunities. We offer free classes year round for people to connect to healthy food to be eaten. Then there is social engagement; in days where people are connected virtually rather than literally, it's great to have tremendous gathering spots for people to connect to healthy food and to each other. The soul of Unity Gardens is at LaSalle Square. The traffic through there, and the stories people share, the benevolence is amazing. We rule a market area where we engage different families in having plots which is our education from indoors. We offer free raised beds, free seeds, use of the water, and tools. So they could learn, hands on, how to grow food for themselves year round. We grew a community that learned not only to develop connections amongst themselves and work together, but also shared with others by putting