The Paradise Parking Plots Community Garden has always had a big vision – to be a place to build and be in community, to grow food that is reminiscent of place all around the world, and to reconnect with the soil. Five years into its existence, the space is that and so much more.
With leadership of World Relief Seattle as well as the support of many partners, the space at Hillside Church in Kent, Wash., is an example of urban agriculture and community-level green stormwater infrastructure. In total, this 1-acre+ plot is managing close to 4 million gallons of stormwater annually through cisterns, rain gardens and, now, a food forest bioswale!
Throughout the project, the voices and priorities of the community were centered and are reflected in the design of the garden as well as the programming at the space. This new video highlights the importance of the garden – and how the bioswale became a reality.
Banner photo by Courtney Baxter/TNC
