Students plant garden in I.C. parking garage

Plants will establish now, ready to thrive in spring

By Alison Gowans, The Gazette

If you're walking down Burlington Street in Iowa City next spring and pass by the parking garage on the corner with Linn Street, stop and peer over the railing.

There, instead of a patch of dirt and weeds on the garage's basement floor, you should see flowers.

In partnership with Iowa City's Downtown District, University of Iowa students in the REACH Program planted a 'secret garden” inside the parking garage last week.

REACH is a two-year program for students with intellectual, cognitive and learning disabilities. Students live on campus while completing coursework and gaining life and jobs skills.

For the last three years, some students have returned for a third year focused on independent living, volunteering and community service.

One of their projects has been planting downtown gardens.

They spent last Wednesday afternoon transplanting flowers and plants from other city gardens for the new secret garden.

Though the growing season is winding down, the plants will take root and be ready to thrive next spring, said Downtown District gardening volunteer Linda Schreiber.

'As people enter the garage from the east side, if they look off to their left, they'll see, oh look, there's a garden there,” she said. 'The area is not really visible from the street. That's why it's called secret.”

The garden is a chance to beautify downtown Iowa City while giving the students a chance to interact with their community, said REACH Student Life Program Specialist Katelyn Neil.

'For many of these students, volunteering is a new experience, and planting is a new experience. It's something they can take ownership over,” she said.

Another garden planted by REACH students is a patch in front of Teddy's Burgers, on the corner of Gilbert Street and Washington Street.

Neil said the students enjoy showing off their work to family and friends.

'We see them become more confident in their own skills and take pride in being part of the community,” she said.

Downtown District Executive Director Nancy Bird said the student's work helps keep Iowa City vibrant.

'This is just another way to target an area that isn't often looked at as you walk by,” she said of the secret garden. 'When you start paying attention to all the beautiful foliage downtown, it's really splendid.”

Third-year REACH students also do volunteer work at places like Ronald McDonald House, the Iowa City Public Library and the Old Capitol Museum. There are seven students in the program this year.

l Comments: (319) 398-8434; alison.gowans@thegazette.com