RE: [cg] Gardening grants

**"* A* <A*@Bowne.com>**

Does the circle property proper belong to the mobile homeowner's association
or does it belong to the local municipality? If it belongs to the park then
it's private and there's really no shot at getting funds to pay for it
unless you do a collection for same. If it belongs to the municipality and
the municipality has no special land use plan for it, then suggest in a
formal proposal that you'd like to turn it into a nice garden like park for
residents of the municipality. Explain that outside of a waterline for the
fountain & watering the plants, there would be no municipal expense in
running the property.Tell the municipality that you'd like to create a
charitable corporation ( a 501c( 3)) to manage this space & to solicit tax
deductable contributions of benches, plants, gardening tools & other
materials to enhance and maintain this area.

But before you do this, make the circle look nice.
Give the space a name ( "Harmony Circle Garden"/ "Local War Hero Circle'
etc.) and collect plants and garage sale type gardening items and plants
from locals to start beautifying the circle. Take pictures, get letters from
local residents on how lovely the circle is, etc. Get local support about
how this circle enhances property values, beautifies etc.

Legal issues: Have the soil checked by the local Agricultural extension
college ( Cornell etc. ) for lead, pollutants etc. which could be a source
of legal liability if a child gets exposed to it.Do everything possible to
make the space as safe and accident free as possible. If it is to be a
planted decorated circle without a park or a place where people can collect
and meet, then obviously there is less liability exposure.

There is more to creating a public space than merely throwing some plants in
the ground. Please check out our website; clintoncommunitygarden.org

Good luck,

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	pld02@health.state.ny.us [SMTP:pld02@health.state.ny.us]
> Sent:	Friday, July 23, 1999 9:05 AM
> To:	community_garden@mallorn.com
> Cc:	blairl@BUFFALOSTATE.EDU
> Subject:	[cg] Gardening grants
> 
> I am the president of a mobile home park homeowners' asscoiation. We have
> a
>  circle at the entrance to  our park with a statue, nonworking fountain
> and
>  old shrubs. We are interested in knowing if there are any groups to which
> we may apply for some grant money to improve the circle. Any info you can
> give is appreciated.
> Thank you very much,
> Paul Dennis
> President
> Carefree Park Mobile Homeowners' Association
> Cheektowaga NY
> 
> 
> 
> 
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