Convince Parks to Let Atlantic City Nursery Get One Step Closer

Atlantic City Nursery Concept Plan

When you think of Rainier Beach, urban farming is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. A group of local community members organized as the Friends of Atlantic City Nursery (FACN) have been working for months to change that perception by advocating that Seattle Parks and Recreation convert the closed Atlantic City Nursery on S. Cloverdale Street north of Beer Sheva Park into the Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands Restoration Project.

The core idea of this project is transforming the existing horticulture buildings for productive and sustainable food-growing to provide healthy food for local food banks and school programs along with job training and youth education opportunities. Just as importantly, the project calls for restoring the acres of wetlands on the site and making them come alive again with native flora and fauna. Social justice, urban agriculture and environmental stewardship all combined in a single project!
 
On June 30, the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department (Parks) unveiled a concept plan for the nursery that includes both an urban farm and restoration of the wetlands at the site. This is a great validation of the hard work FACN volunteers have been doing.
 
The advocacy work for this project isn’t done yet; the Parks Board of Commissioners is holding a public hearing on Thursday August 12 at Parks Headquarters, 100 Dexter Avenue N.  Doors open at 6:00 pm for sign-up and the hearing begins at 7:00 pm.  Please come down and show your support for the project – let’s fill the room with supporters!!
 
If you can’t attend the public hearing, you can still help make the Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands Project bloom by sending your written testimony in support to the Commissioners (they read every comment).
 
Send your email to: Sandy Brooks at sandy.brooks@seattle.gov or mail/deliver a message to:
Sandy Brooks
100 Dexter Avenue. N.
Seattle,  WA 98109-5199
 
What should you say – in person or in writing? In your own words, share that:
 
1. Converting the existing nursery to a neighborhood-appropriate urban farm is the best future use of the existing Atlantic City Nursery facilities.
 
2. Restoring the many wetlands areas at the Atlantic City Nursery as protected wildlife habitat with native plants is the right way to steward this major portion of our local ecosystem.
 
3. Legitimate neighborhood concerns about safety and security are best met by the ongoing active and positive use of the Atlantic City Nursery site for an urban farm combined with restored wetland habitat.

The deadline for written comments is September 2, a few days before the Parks Commissioners make their recommendation for the future of the Atlantic City Nursery to the Parks Superintendent. Sending them in before August 6 will ensure they are part of the upcoming public hearing process. 
 
Questions? Contact the Friends of Atlantic City Nursery at rburbanag@gmail.com.

Harry Hoffman is a Rainier Beach resident and Co-Chair of the Friends Of Atlantic City Nursery.  His interest in urban agriculture and food security stems from his personal commitment to social justice. A native Seattleite, Harry serves as the Executive Director for the Housing Development Consortium of Seattle – King County, the professional association for the local affordable housing sector.

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