Noank Garden Dedication

Notes from the Old Noank Jail

Noank School Public Garden Dedication

by Ed Johnson

The Noank School Public Gardens (NSPG) will be holding a public opening day ceremony this Saturday, May 9th, 2015, from 10 AM to 3 PM at the former school grounds on Smith Lane in Noank.

Over a year ago,The Noank School property became actively considered for Groton community use as a public garden coupled with an agricultural learning program for students. The initial public meeting on January 23rd 2014 included a preliminary presentation by three local Groton citizens who had decided to combine their knowledge of gardening. A more formal presentation/proposal was then made to the Town Council in April 2014 which included a recommendation that the Town retain continued ownership of the property and become a partner in the operation itself.

The three principal garden operators included Robert Palm, a broadcast network producer, Clint Wright, operator of the Noank Artists Foundry and Tim McDowell, an art professor at Connecticut College. These three men had a combined active experience of over 75 years in gardening. Their primary intentions involved converting the six acres of land back into its original form for agricultural use and then adding an educational component for the local schools.

The garden project involves growing sustainable food for local consumption, including vegetables, medicinal plants, herbs, blueberries, hay, plus establishing an apple orchard and bee hives. Related projects would include separate water, veteran’s and butterfly gardens with a future outdoor reading and dining area. The food itself is to be primarily sold locally with profits re-invested back into the non-profit program. Garden plots would be rented to residents, especially those who live in areas where gardening space at home is restricted or not suitable.

Intangible future benefits would result from the multiple educational program as children are eager for this type of learning. Here, they could actively interact appropriately with adults rather than staring into their computer screens and video games all day. Volunteer residents would supervise the younger groups.

The Garden representatives worked very diligently with the Town Council for over a year to iron out all the details. And, after much deliberation and further physical evaluations, the Council also made the decision to tear down the Noank School building itself because of its deteriorated condition and to create more usable space for the public garden.

At the ceremony this Saturday, Groton Town Mayor Rita Schmidt and former Town Mayor Heather Bond Somers will make a first symbolic planting at 10:45 AM. Tours of the proposed layouts of the vegetable garden, orchard and public relaxation areas will be given by members of the NSPG Task Force. Bricks from the demolished building will be given to donors of the six acre gardens, which will be open to all residents of Groton.

The rain date would be held the following Saturday, May 16th, 2015 from !0 AM to 3 PM.