Garden promotes sense of community

The Aug. 5 Gazette has a front-page story relating how a Cedar Rapids resident cultivates a garden on two city-owned lots adjacent to his apartment ('Compromise allows urban gardener to keep growing - for a while”).

The lots were rendered vacant by post-flood building demolition. The problem? The practice has incurred the displeasure of the city elders, as they are actively marketing the properties for resale. It goes against city policy and this citizen gardener is 'trespassing,” they explain.

That may be, but the fellow is voluntarily performing a useful service in keeping out weeds and the pests they harbor, replenishing the soil, and promoting neighborhood sense of community, thereby enhancing the land's attractiveness to potential buyers - all at no cost to the city.

Then on the back page of the same issue is the Crypto-Quote puzzle feature which, when solved, yields: 'The thing generally raised on city land is taxes.” - Charles Dudley Warner.

The city leaders' charitable willingness to accommodate the man until the end of this year's growing season is commendable. But the tale as a whole is bad press for the city.

Dale Fitzgibbons

Cedar Rapids