Listen & Be Heard Weekly Archives

In the world of gardens, a few weeks can make a big difference. Vallejo?s Westwood Neighborhood Community Garden attests to that.

Two months ago, a visitor to the eastside community garden would have seen an empty piece of land being prepared for gardening. Today, the space, which sits between two rather aging apartments, is a verdant oasis filled with corn, tomatoes, cucumbers and hope.

On this day, brothers Felix and Sebastian Gonzalez carefully tend the eggplant, peppers and cilantro they planted early in the season. The Gonzalez brothers have a vested interest in their neighborhood garden, since they live just a few buildings away. Also helping is Randy Martin, a member of Bay Area Services Network. Martin, along with other BASN members, has spent long hours in the garden to ensure its success. Its just the kind of interest John Allen, project coordinator for Vallejo?s Fighting Back Partnership, had hoped for.

Fighting Back, with funding from Vallejo Neighborhood Housing Services, helped organize the garden more than a year ago. At that time, project organizers envisioned a garden that would help pull the ethnically diverse neighborhood together. For years, the low-income neighborhood that lies between Hogan High School on Georgia Street, and a strip mall on Springs Road, has been plagued by poverty and its ensuing problems.

Already, Allen believes, the garden is helping to breech the cultural divide within the community. Creating a more cohesive community has required forging a partnership with neighbors, apartment owners, the Vallejo Police Department, local businesses and schools. Such alliances, Allen explained, have been vital to turning the long-neglected neighborhood around. Area businesses have also done their share. Water used in the garden is provided by the adjacent Selecta Restaurant and the 99 Cents Store.

Things are already starting to change, said Allen, pointing to two duplexes where drugs were being sold, and other criminal acts were occurring. Owners of the problem properties were cited by Vallejo police, properties were either sold or cleaned up and problem tenants were forced out.

While the lush garden is tangible proof of a changing Westwood neighborhood, Fighting Back has hired Survella Threadgill, to ensure that the dialogue continues. Threadgill, a neighborhood organizer, meets with area residents on an on-going basis to assess their needs and get neighbors to talk to one another, Allen said.

On Tuesday, August 1, Westwood area residents will show off their garden during the National Night Out Block Party, Allen said. This will be a great start. Neighbors talking to neighbors, thats the basis for a good community.