Nelson Park could soon host community garden

STERLING HEIGHTS — A new plan is germinating to grow a community garden at James C. Nelson Park by 2025, city officials recently revealed.

Sterling Heights administrators unveiled the proposal during a Jan. 30 strategic planning meeting at the Sterling Heights Community Center.

Assistant City Manager Jeff Bahorski said a community garden provides environmental, health and food accessibility benefits. He added that it would serve as a chance for seniors and apartment tenants to garden.

“Our proposed community garden purposefully goes beyond simply providing a plot of land to grow plants in,” Bahorski said. “We have incorporated elements that will draw our residents into native plant and pollinator gardens, and to introduce what a microforest is and can do for the city’s tree canopy.”

Parks and Recreation Director Kyle Langlois said Sterling Heights officials visited community gardens in Troy, Rochester, St. Clair Shores and Eastpointe for inspiration and guidance.

Lauren Moore, Sterling Heights’ special projects coordinator, explained that Sterling Heights’ conceptual community garden plans call for a fenced 1-acre gardening area, a microforest, a butterfly house, and a central plaza. She said the final result could be “an inclusive destination that all of Sterling Heights will be proud to see and utilize with maximum benefits.”

“Included in our master plan is the mapping of the concept to create a multifaceted attraction that is helpful, aesthetically pleasing, educational and fully engaging,” she said.

According to a presented city timeline, the city will undergo a bidding process for the project sometime between March and May. No project cost estimate was given at the meeting.

Moore said officials plan to formally present the plan to the City Council in April or May and then break ground in June, followed by construction taking place through November. Officials hope to celebrate the garden’s grand opening in April 2025.

Mayor Pro Tem Liz Sierawski asked Langlois how officials will make sure the garden stays safe and that no one is putting harmful pesticides in there.

Langlois said that while some aspects of the community garden area, like the butterfly house, will be more open to the public, the actual growing spaces will be fenced, and sections of the garden will be reserved annually by residents using “a fob-type system.”

Langlois later explained that the garden could contain both raised planting beds as well as inground plots. When Councilwoman Deanna Koski asked about deer, Langlois said the garden fence might be about 6 feet tall as a deterrent.

“We’re not going to be able to keep out every pest or animal that could get into there,” he said. “We don’t want a 12-foot high fence — that really looks poor. So we’re looking to kind of provide that level of fence that will hopefully get us the protection, you know, for the plantings but still have that nice, aesthetically pleasing look as well.”

Councilman Michael Radtke said he liked that the garden is slated for Nelson Park.

“I think that we need to plan and do more amenities on the western part of the city,” he said. “I think that — combined with the microforest, a butterfly house — this will be a tremendous amenity that’s been asked for by residents for years. So I say, start construction.”

James C. Nelson Park is located at 2775 15 Mile Road in Sterling Heights. Learn more about the Sterling Heights Parks and Recreation Department by visiting myshpr.net or by calling (586) 446-2700.