Published: June 27, 2008 09:47 am         

Garden takes root downtown

DANVILLE — As some of her fellow playmates were each taking their turn helping plant a vegetable, 4-year-old Ashlee Burow had trouble taking her eyes off the purple petunias and other “pretty” red and purple flowers in other nearby beds.

The purple flowers matched her shirt, and flowers will surround the Welcome to Downtown Danville sign that will be moved to the lot, away from the construction of the new Social Security office at Vermilion and Seminary streets.

She was among a group of 10 4- and 5-year-olds who visited the new community garden between the library and war museum on North Vermilion Street on Thursday morning.

The “Scooby Squad,” as they’re called, attends the day care at Your Family Resource Connection.

The children helped plant peppers, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower.

Maria Sermersheim, family nutritional program coordinator with the University of Illinois Extension’s Vermilion County unit, told Jden Burks, 4, to “cover all those roots,” as he helped with the vegetable planting.

“Let’s give a hand to Jden,” Sermersheim said when he was done, as the others clapped.

Burks also received high fives after helping out.

“They like to get out and do things in the dirt,” daycare teacher Felicia Almquist said.

She said the garden planting will be good for them to see the progress of the growing vegetables.

Sermersheim said mothers who live at YFRC’s women’s shelter and across the street at New Holland Apartments also are helping with the garden.

Sermersheim is excited about this community garden because it’s the first time for mothers and their children to work together on the project at the same time.

One mother already is excited about harvest and using the vegetables and herbs for new recipes instead of cooking the same thing all the time for her children, Sermersheim said.

The downtown garden originally was to be located at the former Chittick’s Family Eye Care site. But Sermersheim said things didn’t work out for that site due to possible future uses, concerns about vandalism and less traffic there.

Library officials have considered having a little plaza area on the lot where the garden is for outdoor activities. It previously had the former Clifton Gunderson building on it.

Library director Barbara Nolan said board members wanted to try some activities out there to see what they would be like, before starting a possible fundraising campaign. That’s when the community garden opportunity came up.

Nolan likes that library neighbors are participating.

“It’s a way for us to be a good neighbor,” she said.

She said the flower and vegetable gardens are “dressing up that corner, edge of sidewalk.”

The lot doesn’t have a huge amount of top soil because it was a temporary measure.

“I just think it is a wonderful educational opportunity for all of us,” Nolan said of the community garden.

The community garden makes five now in the city, including others at Garfield Park, Elmwood Park, across from St. James United Methodist Church and at Green Meadows. There is another one in Georgetown.

In addition to the University of Illinois Extension’s involvement, the city, Keep Vermilion County Beautiful, Peer Court and others also are involved in helping with items needed for the garden.

Sermersheim educates the children involved about nutrition and cooking healthy. Year-round education includes canning salsa and tomatoes and preserving the herbs for future cooking.

A teepee garden also will be on the lot for kids to enter and play.