Established in 2021, the DeSales Community Garden is located at 1620 De Sales Lane. The Garden is owned by 1620 DeSales LLC, an Ohio nonprofit corporation, and is supported by the East Walnut Hills Assembly and DeSales Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation.
The Garden is an initiative to enhance the quality of life in East Walnut Hills and the surrounding neighborhoods by providing green space, education and fresh produce. The Garden was funded initially with the support of a Safe and Clean Grant from Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, an Urban Agriculture Grant from the City of Cincinnati and with resources from the Civic Garden Center and the East Walnut Hills Assembly. The Garden also receives yearly plot rental fees from its gardeners and welcomes donations from the East Walnut Hills and the greater Cincinnati community.
The DeSales Community Garden features approximately 20 4×8-foot garden boxes for individual gardeners. Tools, tool shed, and water are provided on the site. The site has a 6-foot fence around most of its perimeter and a 4-foot fence in the front. The cost of a bed to the gardener is a nominal $20/year fee to help pay for water and tools.
Mark Stegman, the first DeSales Community Garden Manager, continues to work behind the scenes. Day-to-day operations have been taken over by Stacey Gomes. A New England native now rooted in Cincinnati, Stacey is a community-engaged researcher and health educator with an MS in Nutrition Science and PhD in Community-Based Action Research from the University of Cincinnati.
Professionally, Stacey develops and supports health-focused programs, leads evaluation efforts and collaborates with community organizations to improve access, education and overall community wellbeing.
Outside of work, Stacey loves tending to her garden and cooking with whatever happens to be in season. She has been a lifelong environmental advocate. Her passion for healthy, accessible food also shows up in her volunteer work teaching educational cooking classes for nonprofit organizations, and helping families feel more confident and creative in the kitchen.
Applications rolled in quickly in the spring of 2023 and are no longer being accepted as the garden is at capacity. 1620 DeSales LLC is looking to expand and will keep applicants posted if space becomes available in the future. If you applied and have not heard back, you are on a waiting list and will be contacted if space becomes available in the future. You are first in line for access to the existing garden.