Ribbon cutting celebrates new ADA-accessible community garden

A crowd of community members, partners, and supporters gathered on Aug. 26 at 1009 E. Vine St. to celebrate the official ribbon cutting of the Vine and Lawn Community Garden — a new initiative designed to provide accessible gardening opportunities and address food insecurity in Knox County.

The garden is the result of a vision led by Walt Lewis, resource navigator with United Way of Knox County, who identified a growing need for access to fresh, healthy food in the community. In collaboration with United Way of Knox County and the Knox County Local Food Council, Lewis brought together a wide network of local partners to bring the project to life.

Those partners include the city of Mount Vernon, Operation Round Up, Habitat for Humanity of Knox County, e-Merge Real Estate Champions, The Ohio State University Extension, The Ohio State University Extension SNAP-Ed, Knox County Master Gardener Volunteers, and several dedicated neighbors — including Doug Chadwick — who invested their time and energy into making the garden a reality.

The ribbon cutting ceremony brought together many of the individuals and organizations who made the project possible. Among those in attendance were Joyce Frazee with the Knox County Health Department, Lisa Lloyd with the Knox County Foundation, Sarah Scott with Habitat for Humanity of Knox County, Catie Hayes with The Ohio State University Extension, and Katie Baumgart with e-Merge Real Estate Champions. Lewis represented United Way of Knox County, joined by neighbor Chadwick, whose personal involvement helped bring the project to life on the ground level. City leadership was represented by Mayor Matthew Starr of Mount Vernon. The Knox County Chamber of Commerce was also present, with Executive Director Carol Grubaugh, Chamber Ambassador Julie Lucas, and Cindy McDowell of ACS Title Company taking part in the celebration.

Designed to serve residents of all abilities, the Vine and Lawn Community Garden features an ADA-accessible walkway, allowing safe and easy access for individuals using wheelchairs, canes or walkers. The garden also includes multiple raised beds to reduce the need for bending or kneeling, making gardening more accessible for individuals in wheelchairs or those with mobility limitations.

When asked about what specific design features make the garden accessible to people with disabilities, Lewis said, “Definitely the landscape fabric. It has been tested out by Creative Foundations for wheelchair accessibility.” He also noted the benefits of the raised beds, adding, “You don’t need to have a disability to use the raised beds. They are easy on the knees.”

Ikeya Morning, formerly with e-Merge Real Estate Champions, provided the design work for the community garden, ensuring the layout was inclusive and user-friendly for people of varying physical abilities.

The garden currently serves as a collaborative space for local groups including the Knox County Special Olympics athletes, The Hive, and Creative Foundations — all of whom have access to wheelchair-friendly garden beds within the space.

In addition to offering gardening plots, the garden features a “share table” just outside the garden area, where anyone in the community is welcome to stop by and pick up fresh produce that has been harvested and shared by garden participants. Any produce left on the table by 8 p.m. on Tuesday evenings is delivered to The Father’s Table at First Church of the Nazarene for use in their Wednesday Hot Meal program.

Residents of Knox County who are interested in renting a garden box for the season may do so for $20 by emailing vineandlawn@gmail.com or calling (740) 397-5721.

The Vine and Lawn Community Garden represents a collective effort to improve food access, promote wellness, and foster inclusion — and the ribbon cutting marked an important step forward in growing a healthier and more connected Mount Vernon.