Community Garden Opens in La Mirada

THE LA MIRADA COUNCIL, minus Councilman Andrew Sarega (as usual), at the Community Garden dedication at Frontier Park.

February 4, 2022

By Tammye McDuff

In 1998 La Mirada spent $110,000 to relocate a community garden from its location at La Mirada Activity Center to a portion of land owned by Mount Olive Lutheran Church.

The land had 42 plots, and the City collected annual fees from gardeners and forwarded the funds to the Church.

A ten-year agreement was signed, then in July 2008, an 18-month extension was agreed upon. The garden went on until  2017, when the church  informed the City that the garden would close in 2017.

Four years later, the City Council proposed a Community Garden at Frontier Park during a special study session held February 9, 2021.

City Council and staff, headed by Councilman John Lewis began to explore establishing a community garden. “A garden provides access to fresh food and produce, offers physical activity through garden maintenance and improves social connections among residents,” said Lewis, “It can also offer the potential to provide children in an after-school program to learn about agriculture and nutrition.”

Nearly one year later, the garden blossomed with a grand opening and ribbon cutting of the new La Mirada Community Gardens on January 27.

The garden is now fully operational and will offer many benefits, including growing fresh produce, promoting a sense of community among gardeners, and encouraging active and healthy lifestyles.

Crews installed a perimeter fence,  irrigation lines, hose bibs,  garden plots filled with topsoil, new walkways and created a central refuse collection area. The new garden area accommodates 20 individual plots of about 150 square feet and one larger garden area.

“This is a community gardens and a communal project,” remarked Mayor Ed Eng. “We have been planning this for awhile now. This is the best way to nurture community spirit and that special connection that money can’t buy.”

Lewis added, “The community is really behind this, and will keep us moving forward as a community.”

Residents are invited to the gardens to participate in activities lead by volunteers with gardening experience. Events such as farmers markets featuring produce grown in the garden as well as outside vendors could be hosted on the site.

One five-year-old La Mirada resident dug a hole, and planted flower seeds and watered her entry “Me and my dad are going to come back and watch the flower seeds grow,” she added shyly.

For more information regarding the Community Gardens, call (562) 943-7277.