Firmly planted

Once again, another community garden is in danger of a date with a bulldozer. But the 66 neighborhood volunteers who lovingly tend the 40-plot community garden at the northeast corner of Broad and South streets are not surrendering quietly.

The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp. (PIDC) is opening bids for the sale and potential development of the site in August, said Brian Abernathy, legislative aide to First District Councilman Frank DiCicco.

Laurie Fitzpatrick, one of the garden founders and a member of the Washington Square West Civic Association, plans to be among the bidders with a proposal to preserve the space as a public sculpture/community garden. The topic is on the agenda of the association’s meeting Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., at Jefferson Alumni Hall, 1020 Locust St., Room 139.

"If we don’t make this effort, we’re going to be looking at condominiums on the end of our block. We’re not necessarily opposed to that. It’s just that there’s so many condominiums already we really feel the need for some kind of green space in the area," said Fitzpatrick, of the 1300 block of Rodman Street.

Fitzpatrick, who works in development for a nonprofit organization she declined to name, plans to compete with developers for the space.

She is working on a written proposal, while an architect, who also happens to be one of the gardeners, is coming up with conceptual drawings.

"Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp., who gave permission to use the space for a garden, said we are welcome to compete with everybody else," she said.

A representative from PIDC could not be reached by press time.

Aside from the proposal, Fitzpatrick is preparing a petition to spare the greenery. She also has turned to local politicians, like DiCicco and state Rep. Babette Josephs, who she hopes will aid her cause.

Saving the garden won’t come cheap, however.

The city estimated the parcel to be worth well over $1 million, said Abernathy.

"If she and the community can come up with that kind of funding, we’ll be happy to support them. But we’re not going to be able to stop development if they don’t succeed," said the aide.

Although DiCicco has long been a supporter of community gardens, a councilman cannot stand in the way of development, added Abernathy.

Neither can a state representative, said Josephs, though she pledged her support.

The legislator said she’s concerned about the quality of life in her district and believes community gardens significantly enhance a neighborhood’s appeal.

"What makes that neighborhood so attractive is things like that garden. If we eliminate them, I don’t think the neighborhood would be that appealing," she said.

While sensitive to environmental concerns, Josephs also said she understands "the value of Center City land" to developers.

She called for a balance between the two types of usage.

"People will not live in a sterile canyon of big buildings if there’s nothing in the environment like parks and gardens. So it’s sort of self-defeating," Josephs said.

FITZPATRICK, ALONG WITH former Washington Square West Civic Association members Virginia Trosinio and Alison Weiss, started the garden in summer 2001. Trosinio and Weiss are no longer active in the association or the garden.

The 66 gardeners, many of whom live on Fitzpatrick’s block, take turns tending the 40 10-by-10-foot spaces daily. Watering often proves the most challenging, since dozens of industrial-sized containers must be filled to quench the thirst of the many trees, shrubs, plants and flowers.

A large common area contains a pumpkin patch and white-canopied teahouse with a little sitting area. There’s even a fenced-in dog run where neighborhood residents let their pets stretch their legs.

Area residents donated everything in the garden.

"We got all these plants into one area that was just a trash-filled lot. We filled that space for zero dollars. You build a garden and people just walk in with plants. It’s amazing," said Fitzpatrick.

Last year, someone from the neighborhood dropped off 100 trees – 70 green ash and 30 maple. This spring, the garden donated three-quarters of them to local schools and a cemetery in Darby.

"We contributed to the tree canopy of the Delaware Valley," Fitzpatrick said.

Students from nearby University of the Arts donated a metal flower sculpture to the garden.

Fitzpatrick would like to incorporate more visual art into the space because she feels that particular medium is lacking along the Avenue of the Arts, where the garden is located. Her written proposal to save the green space includes plans for a sculpture garden, which also will fill the spot with works of art.

She also would like to have wireless access in the park that would allow people to relax under a tree and use their laptops.

"This would be a really neat blending of art, technology and nature to show the best of what Philadelphia can offer," Fitzpatrick said.

To find out more about the community garden at Broad and South streets, go to www.broadandsouthgarden.com