City of Suwanee Named 2017 Crown Community

SUWANEE, GA — The City of Suwanee has recently been named a 2017 Crown Community by American City & County magazine for its work on the Orchard at White Street Park.

The first public orchard in the southeastern U.S., the orchard is a collaboration between the city, nonprofit community garden Harvest Farm, and local landscape architect Roger Grant. White Street Park’s 2009 master plan included Harvest Farm and space for an orchard, which officials desired so as to improve community knowledge of gardening, local food, and the environment.

Once the trees bear fruit this summer, anyone will be able to pick the orchard’s blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries, while making use of the playground, lawn areas, pathways, and pavilion.

Suwanee funded the $183,471 project using special purpose local option sales tax, or SPLOST, funds. A local construction company graded the area and built its pavilion, lawns, and pathways, as well as two built-in embankment slides in early 2017. Community volunteers sowed fruiting plants and installed birdhouses, trellises, and huts made of living willow trees. Grant’s 200 hours of donated design and work contributed an estimated value of $22,000.

Moving forward, the city will give an annual $1,000 to the orchard’s management committee, and its public works department will handle ongoing maintenance, which will involve organic pesticides.

Since 1909, American City & County has recognized local governments for extraordinary work in their communities. The magazine received over 75 applications from cities and counties across the U.S. and recognized six innovative and impactful local government projects in 2017, choosing projects with meaningful issues, clever solutions, innovative implementation, measurable results, and ultimately replicable ideas.

Graphic courtesy City of Suwanee