Community Gardens and City Parks in Lemon Grove, CA

Spring 2017 • PH 304 – Environment & Public Health Author(s): Christiana Yip and Victoria Lawless Instructor: Dr. Zohir Chowdhury Public Health Community Gardens and City Parks in Lemon Grove, CA

Disclaimer This report represents original student work and recommendations prepared by students in San Diego State University’s Sage Project for the City of Lemon Grove. Text and images contained in this report may not be used without permission from San Diego State University.

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary...... 6 Surveys ...... 7 Community Gardens...... 7 Parks...... 10 Community Gardens...... 11 Architecture and Design...... 17 Successful Community Garden Implementation...... 20 City Parks...... 21 Berry Street Park...... 21 Overview...... 21 Renovations...... 22 Civic Center Park...... 23 Overview...... 23 Renovations...... 23 Lemon Grove Park...... 25 Overview...... 25 Renovations...... 25 Dan Kunkel Park...... 25 Overview...... 25 Renovations...... 25 Firefighter Skate Park...... 26 Overview...... 26 Renovations...... 26 Potential New Park Locations...... 27 Community Events and Involvement...... 28 Current and Previous Methods...... 28 Summer Concert Series...... 28 Summer Movies in the Park...... 28 Paws in the Park...... 28 New Methods...... 28 Event Calendar and Bulletin Board...... 28 Summer Night Lights...... 29 Outdoor Fitness Classes...... 29 Walking Club...... 29 QR Fit Trail...... 30 Safety ...... 31 Funding ...... 33 Conclusion...... 35 References...... 36 Appendix A...... 40 Appendix B...... 41 Appendix C...... 42

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Acknowledgements We would like to thank the residents of Lemon Grove for taking part in our surveys, as well as Austin Evans from the City of Lemon Grove, who edited and approved these surveys. We would also like to thank Mike James, assistant city manager of Lemon Grove and director of public works, a major city liaison for the Sage Project partnership. Lastly, we would like to thank our professor, Dr. Zohir Chowdhury, for the guidance he provided to our class’ projects for the duration of this semester.

Sage Project Staff Jessica Barlow, Program Director Kristofer Patrón-Soberano, Program Administrator Kiku Fukushima, Graphic Design Philip Combiths, Editing Graciella Regua, Social Media

Course Participants Asha Abdirahim, Jessica Adams, Celine Adriano, Anthonia Agoh, Merisol Agustin, Annaelle Akcam, Takwa Albehadili, Kalekirstos Alemu, Mashael Alghamdi, Samuel Anderson, Christian Aravena, Sheila Azhand, Eden Baheru, Kristine Balicoco, Mikaella Baliwag, Nicole Ballez, Gerilyn Barairo, Royale Barnard, Avisa Bastan, Haley Blackman, Justine Blide, Haleigh Boe, Mikayla Borchin, Kevin Borges, Cason Bridges, Douglas Brittingham, Lindsay Brown, Mary Bui, Keagan Casey, Felix Castillo, Joanna Camille Castro, Haley Ceremony, Laura Cervantes, Victorianna Chavez, Jean Ezra Chua, Daniela Claros-Saenz, Nicole Clegg, Jamie Condon, Andrea Cortez, Angelica Cortez, Cassandra Crumley, Andrew Cumbie, Olivia Daniel, Nicole Daniel, Marc David, Marissa Delveaux, Rachelle De Ocampo, Juan Diaz, Sonya Dorador, Mayra Duran, Seraphina Eberhardt, Xiela Ross Edusada, Talore Eldar, Kennethjohn Elejorde, Akeem Eley, Lucien Eloundou, Max Fang, Manumaa Finau, Alan Fjeldsted, Giane Fortunato, Grethel Gahbler, Maribel Garcia, Kalia Christina Gascon, Brandon Geiger, Sarah Ghebrehiwet, Edgar Gomez, Alyssa Gonzales, Annjanae Gonzales, Jazmen Green, Daniela Grijalva Moreno, Enrique Guzman, Perla Guzman, Iden Hakeem, Genesis Hernandez, Briana Hiner, Jennifer Hoffman, Jessica Houser, Hanna Hutchison-Parker, Kenneth Imperial, Courtney Jackson, Joanna Jimenez, Sandra Johnson, Cydney Jones, Anthony Jordan, Christina Juarez, Marlee Kersting, Jenny Kim, Hyojung Kim, Fazila Kiyam, Kelly Knorr, Kimberly Kolenic, Mya Kyi, Carlo Lacson, Princess Dheimee Lagana, Victoria Lawless, Christi Lemire, Vanessa Lim, Emily Loisel, Caitlyn Lowkeen, Kristin Luce, Erika Vedastine, Amber Fleur Luzano, Joseline Maldonado, Edgardo Manalo, Sierra Maranion, Melanie Maron, Miguel Martinez, Gabriela Martinez, Jade Mathis, Shelby Mcalpine, Ashlynn Mccool, Ahira

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Medalla, Julianne Medeiros, Tawny Merritt, Paniz Mikanik, Lilian Mikhalsky, Cassandra Morales, Anna Morongell, Chelsea Movilla-Diago, Aldo Munoz, Elizabeth Nguyen, Mitchell Nguyen, Jaclyn Niemeyer, Janae Nunes, Kenneth Okuda, Cyrielle Pagharion, Danica Mae Pascua, Anthea Faith Pascual, Sabrina Perry, Eric Peverley, Christina Phan, Denisse Ponce, Madison Pribyl, Mayra Puentes Moreno, Cynthia Quezada Morfin, Jaliza Ramirez Perez, Lord Razooky, Vanessa Roman, Benjamin Rowley, Danica Sabado, Kristin Schaller, Nura Sharif, Rebecca Shulkin, Stephanie Sinsin, Danielle Slemons, Haileigh Smith, Sebastien Sorhaitz, Julien Spencer, Rachel Stevenson, Jennifer Strasser, Krystal Ta, Erika Taylor, Kimberly Tran, Thao Tran, Jimmy Trinh, Tiffany Troung, Benhur Tsegay, Sidney Tshering, Athena Ustaris, Alexander Vaezazizi, Jessica Vallejo, Amanda Van, Sarah Velasco, Vanessa Villanueva, Jaqueline Villarreal, Tam Vo, Tanice Wallace, Kristen Walsh, Lani Waugh, Rusty Wilson, Alyssa Wong, Jennifer Wright, Christiana Yip

About the Sage Project The Sage Project is a partnership between San Diego State University (SDSU) and a local government in the San Diego region. Students, through their course work, engage in meaningful real-world projects and contribute to pressing social needs in a community in SDSU’s service area. Students from across the University assist local governments with partner-directed projects that address their livability and sustainability goals. SDSU students and faculty connect with high-priority, high-need, highly interdisciplinary community projects, thereby generating interest and fresh ideas that create momentum and provide real service to the community. Each year, the Sage Project at SDSU engages hundreds of students from diverse disciplines who invest thousands of hours assisting communities in our region as they seek to build a more equitable and sustainable future. The Sage Project is part of the Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities (EPIC) Network and is based on the highly successful and award winning Sustainable City Year Program at the University of Oregon.

About Lemon Grove The City of Lemon Grove is an intimate community of about 26,000 residents in south- east San Diego County. As a small municipality nested within an expansive metropolis, Lemon Grove faces the unique challenge of preserving its history and small town charm amidst a largely urban landscape. The city’s small town attributes are not only attractive to residents and visitors, but they also allow for more feasible implementation of rapid and widespread sustainable practices. The City of Lemon Grove continues to gain momentum as a model of sustainability as it seeks innovate ways to address both community and global needs.

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Executive Summary The City of Lemon Grove has collaborated with the Sage Project and San Diego State University to develop and introduce a community garden and evaluate the current city parks to determine what can be achieved to further benefit and serve the residents of Lemon Grove. This comprehensive report addresses these main objectives and offers recommendations for ways to further serve residents regarding these two city amenities. By reaching out to the community of Lemon Grove through surveys, interviews and questionnaires, feedback was collected regarding the community’s perceptions of a potential community garden, the city’s current parks, and the amenities that are currently offered. By providing the community with a dedicated area to grow its own produce and opportunities for community involvement, equipping city parks with exercise equipment and park activity events, and strengthening safety factors the residents of Lemon Grove can develop a greater sense of community that helps foster healthier and active lifestyles. Based on our analysis of the data collected, we provided cost-effective recommendations that promote healthy lifestyle habits to better serve the residents of Lemon Grove. Keywords: community gardens, city parks, community involvement, healthy habits

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The City of Lemon Grove, in its partnership with the Sage Project at San Diego State University, is aspiring to become an exemplary city within San Diego County by promoting sustainable and healthy lifestyles. This report delineates a collection of unique recommendations, developed by Public Health students, to address current obstacles in Lemon Grove. Currently, Lemon Grove lacks a designated community zone for residents to maintain gardens for cultivating their own food, nor are there any current city ordinances that address urban agriculture. With the project detailed in this report, the City of Lemon Grove sought to assess the feasibility of developing urban agriculture and community garden programs and collect observations evaluating city park amenities, utilization, safety, and general appeal. San Diego State University students in Public Health 304 approached both goals by acquiring resident feedback in the form of survey responses. There is currently one out-of-operation community garden that is attached to San Miguel Elementary School. This garden is no longer in use due to lack of funding, but it was initially used to teach young students the importance of healthy eating and to foster valuable interpersonal and collaborative skills. There are also five parks in Lemon Grove: Berry Street Park, Civic Center Park, Dan Kunkel Memorial Park, Firefighters Park, and Lemon Grove Park. Community gardens and city parks are both tools to foster a connected community and promote active lifestyles for residents. There are substantial health benefits associated with healthy habits. Healthy eating and exercise can not only reduce the risks of chronic health issues, like cardiovascular disease, these practices can also help create a safer community by reducing crime rates and increasing community involvement. Our recommendations related to community gardens and city parks in Lemon Grove are detailed in later sections of this report.

Surveys In seeking resident feedback regarding community gardens and city parks, Public Health 304 students conducted in-person surveys and interviews as well as web-administered questionnaires. These data were collected and organized by several different groups, each with their own system for collecting and displaying their data. Because of this discontinuity, we have chosen to display the most crucial and comprehensible data regarding community gardens and city parks in the following tables.

Community Gardens During this investigation, we conducted an interview with the City of Lemon Grove’s Assistant City Manager and Public Works Director, Mike James. We asked James a series of questions that provided us with information on the potential benefits and draw- backs of implementing a community garden. One question we asked was, “Would only those utilizing the garden pay for it or would there be a tax to the residents?” James responded, “I do not believe there will be a tax. It will be the community because it is a

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community garden and the focus is smaller. I have seen many ways people have funded this project, each family can provide a monthly cost to a plot to maintain the community garden.” Some of the most important topics he brought to our attention were funding and generating enough local support for a community garden. It is crucial we foster ample community support, in the form of donations, commitment, and time. As James stated, “The community needs to be the primary driver of this project. Only then will the city partner and get more organizations involved in this project.” By spreading this message throughout and beyond the community, the community garden could secure a steady source of participants and partnerships. We also conducted an interview with the vice principal of San Miguel Elementary School, Summer Locke. From our short discussion with Vice Principal Locke, we discovered that the San Miguel Elementary School garden was no longer operating due to lack of funding, leadership, and time within the school year. Thanks to Vice Principal Locke and the staff at San Miguel Elementary School, we were fortunate enough to speak to young students regarding healthy eating and gardening. During our visit, we asked them to draw their ideal community garden. With overwhelming enthusiasm, the students discussed growing fruits, like tomatoes, apples, and bananas—even drawing a shed to house the gardening equipment. Some students suggested having animals, like pigs and chickens, to help make the garden fun and inviting. We also developed five survey questionnaires regarding potential Lemon Grove community gardens that were then administered through an online platform and via in-person interviews. Although there was some discontinuity in data collection, as described above, an overview of the results can be found in Table 1.

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Table 1: Lemon Grove community gardens survey data.

# of Median Survey Residents Survey Locations Age Key Findings Number Surveyed Group

81% of individuals felt that Lemon Grove residents would use a Lemon Grove community garden. Depot trolley 61% of individuals said they personally would utilize Lemon Grove's stop, commercial community garden. locations between Buena 75% of individuals responded as willing to donate materials to the Vista Avenue, community garden, as opposed to 58% who would be willing to 1 101 Skyline Drive, donate money. & Lemon Grove 75% of individuals would eat more fruits and vegetables if grown in a Avenue, Berry community garden. Street Park, & Lemon Grove 36% of individuals would prefer community gardens to be located Park near and within schools, while 27% preferred an open field and another 27% prefer a city park.

75% of individuals…. 1. View Climate Change and Sustainability as important Online, via social 2. Are extremely interested in community gardening or would try it out media platforms: 2 60 Facebook, 35-44 3. Would like more access to fresh food Twitter, and 4. Would participate in a garden for social and community involvement NextDoor 82% of individuals have access to a personal plot at their residency, however still 61% are interested in having a personal garden plot in a community garden

San Miguel Elementary School, Lemon Grove Library, 45% of individuals were interested in volunteering 1-2 times per 3 82 25-36 Christian Church week. Lemon Grove, and Sprouts Grocery Storev

93% of surveyed individuals have never visited a community garden. Berry Street Park, Lemon Grove 73% of individuals believe that a community garden could benefit Park, and the Lemon Grove. 4 30 Home Depot, 30-39 63% of surveyed individuals believe that a community garden could Starbucks and have some potential health benefits. Walgreens on 43% of individuals would donate time to a community garden, while Broadway. 37% of surveyed individuals would possibly donate their time.

Berry Street 86% of individuals would participate and donate their time to the Park, Lemon community garden. Grove Park, and 62% of surveyed individuals would donate money to help maintain the 5 50 Commercial 30-39 garden. locations along Broadway & 67% of individuals would be willing to donate materials to help Central Avenue maintain the garden.

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Parks These online survey results were supplemented with three questionnaires administered in person. An overview of these results can be found in Table 2.

Table 2: Lemon Grove parks survey data.

Median Survey # of Residents Survey Age Key Findings Number Surveyed Locations Group

30% of respondents spend 4-6 hours with their family in a day. 30% of respondents reported spending all day with their family 38% of respondents go to their local park two times in a month 20% of respondents go to their local park 4-6 times in a month 6 50 - - 26% of respondents do not go to their local park 80% of respondents will go to their local park if they see improvements 44% of respondents would like to be informed about future park events via text messages 70% of Lemon Grove residents we surveyed indicated they would like to donate or volunteer to improve their local parks

City hall, local 64% of respondents in Lemon Grove visit a local park at least businesses, once a week Lemon 38% of respondents felt that Lemon Grove parks are Grove 7 30 25-44 "somewhat safe" Depot trolley 52% of respondents believe an active lifestyle is very station, important. 92% overall believe that an active lifestyle holds at Civic Center least some importance Park

25% of respondents used parks daily 50% of respondents used parks 3-5 days per week 8 100 - - 49% of residents believed that parks near their homes were missing something

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Community Gardens Community gardens are defined as “collaborative projects in shared open spaces” where individuals collectively maintain the garden and share its harvest (CDC, 2010). In addition to fresh and affordable fruits and vegetables, residents are also engaging in physical activity, building skills, and strengthening social connections within their community. As previously mentioned, there is one existing community garden in Lemon Grove that is attached to San Miguel Elementary School. Although it is no longer in operation, its proximity to the elementary school benefitted students’ knowledge of healthy eating and gardening. Vice Principal Locke stated that the continuation of this garden was unsuccessful due to insufficient funding and leadership. She would like to revive this program; however, the greatest challenge she faces is that teachers lack time in their curriculum to include gardening. Currently, the janitorial staff at San Miguel Elementary waters the remaining greenery left in the garden.

Figure 1: San Miguel Elementary School garden.

Location In designing Lemon Grove’s resident-driven community garden, we recommend several different locations, shown in Figure 2. The lot at Central Avenue and Olive Street is identified as “A” on the map. This lot is located in the heart of Lemon Grove, only a few steps from Lemon Grove’s Sheriff’s Department, Lemon Grove Community Church, and Civic Center Park. Community garden participants at this location would be able to utilize park amenities and coordinate events with Civic Center Park and Lemon Grove Community Church. The lot at North Avenue between Central Avenue and Olive Street is identified as “B” on the map. This location is fenced and more closely located to local businesses and stores within the community, adjacent to the Lemon Grove Trolley Depot and bus stations.

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Figure 2: Potential locations of Lemon Grove community garden.

Even closer to trolley and bus stations is the lot labeled “D,” located south of Broadway Street between Central Avenue and Olive Street. Both lots, “B” and “D,” are located directly across from an apartment complex, where many residents have no access to their own plot for gardening. Lastly, lot “C” is located off School Lane, directly adjacent to Lemon Grove Academy Elementary School in addition to many local businesses and stores. Table 3 displays many similar elements shared by these four locations.

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Table 3: Location elements of potential Lemon Grove community garden.

Location Elements Within Within Within Within 0.5 0.5 Miles Within 0.2 Within 0.2 0.5 Miles 0.5 Miles Location Currently Miles of of Lemon Miles of an Miles of Parking of Civic of Local Vacant Trolley/ Grove Elementary Apartment Center Stores and Bus Sheriff's School Complexes Park Businesses stations Department Central A Avenue & X X X X X X Olive Street North Avenue between B X X X X X X X Allison Lane & Olive Street School Lane, Adjacent to Lemon Grove C X X X X X X X Academy Elementary School Southside of Broadway D Olive Street X X X X X X and Central Avenue

Community Involvement The resident feedback we received from our surveys indicated that a majority of respondents in Lemon Grove would be interested in participating in a community garden. Accordingly, we can assume that, given an accessible source of information and means to come together, their involvement in the garden will follow. Our first recommendation towards establishing community involvement is to create social media pages through platforms, such as Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. We recognize that these platforms may not reach all populations of Lemon Grove residents equally; however, they provide a cost-efficient avenue to quickly broadcast information and recruit interested volunteers. According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 97% of adults who use the internet have utilized social networks within the past month (Mansfield, 2016). This same study also confirmed that internet users have, on average, seven social networking accounts. To communicate with individuals who are not connected with social media or do not have access to the internet, we also recommend posting flyers and signs throughout the community. Flyers can be posted in community centers, churches, bus shelters, schools, libraries, and in shopping plazas and outside businesses. Once the community garden is established, it could be beneficial for larger signs to be placed throughout the community advertising

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the garden. These signs could be created by local students and artists, which would also be an excellent way to increase involvement among younger age groups and give them a personal connection with their community’s garden.

Figure 3: Lemon Grove Garden Club logo.

We believe the best way to increase community involvement in a communal garden is by creating a Lemon Grove Garden Club. There are a variety of cities within San Diego County that currently have garden clubs, all of which are aligned under the organization Master Gardeners of San Diego (Master Gardener Community Gardens Committee, 2017). Take, for instance, Point Loma’s Gardening Club, which charges its members an annual fee that funds the supplies needed for the garden (Point Loma Garden Club, 2014). The second Wednesday of every month, the Point Loma Garden Club meets at their community center for their monthly membership meeting and to learn new things about gardening. The program focus of March 2017 was “getting your garden to grow: the lowdown on soil, mulches, and amendments,” while the program focus for May 2017 was “colorful plants for water wise gardens” (Point Loma Garden Club, 2014). Starting a Lemon Grove Gardening Club is a great way for residents of all ages to get involved in their community. This resident-driven club would allow individuals to dedicate time to create something in their community that they are personally invested in. One way that residents can get involved within their local garden club is to volunteer their time working for the garden. The Community Garden of Santa Clarita has instituted subcommittees within their community garden club (Santa Clarita Community Garden, 2017). Three of the subcommittees that are thriving in their garden are the Outreach, Compost, and Special Events committees—each with its own unique contribution to the club and community.

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Once the community garden is ready to open, we recommend hosting an initiation or ribbon-cutting ceremony. By inviting Lemon Grove residents and important city figures, such as the mayor, city council members, police officers, and firefighters, the city and its community members would be able to demonstrate their support. Fun and interactive activities could take place during the event to entertain attendees. For example, each guest could be given a pack of seeds to plant in the new garden, lunch could be served, or a live band could perform (American Community Garden Association, 2015). The City of Hagerstown, Maryland, is an example of a municipality that has hosted a successful ribbon cutting ceremony for their community garden. Their flyer showcasing this event can be found in Appendix A.

Garden Activities and Programs Garden programs supporting sustainable lifestyles and actions are crucial to the maintenance of a healthy city and healthy individuals. The following are recommendations for garden activities and programs for individuals, families, and residents of all ages. Our first recommendation is for the Lemon Grove Community Garden to host a seasonal harvest party. Lafayette Community Garden in Lafayette, California provides an annual harvest party celebrating the produce they cultivated. This garden warmly welcomes all community members to join as they offer delicious snacks and drinks and provide activities, such as scarecrow making and garden crafts (“Lafayette Community Garden,” 2017). Similar to harvest parties, the Lemon Grove Community Garden can also host other regular community events. One such event has been successfully implemented in Berkeley, California. This event, named “the Edible Schoolyard,” provides gardening advice for novices and experts and offers locally produced food. This community event is a fun way to support the community and help jump-start residents’ own gardens (“The Edible Schoolyard Project,” 2017). Another way for Lemon Grove to share and preserve its community garden harvest for future meals is through a community produce stand. Spiral Gardens in Berkeley, California, in collaboration with the Farm Fresh Choice program of the Ecology Center, provides a year-round produce stand, selling their fresh fruits and vegetables at low prices to their community. This community garden has become a dependable food source for local community members, providing them with easy access to fresh, locally-grown, organic food (“Spiral Gardens Community Food Security Project,” 2017). Lemon Grove could also benefit from a community meal program. San Diego County’s Community Resource Center (CRC), offers a community meal program where they serve fresh meals using the vegetables they grow in their garden. To allow for their local community members to benefit from this meal program, their nutritious meals are offered free of charge on a drop-in basis (“CRC: Community Meal Program,” 2017). Lemon Grove could also take advantage of existing resources in the community. One such resource, Lemon Grove Community Residents Offering Produce Seasonally (CROPS), is a local non-profit organization that gathers donations that would otherwise

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be left to waste and uses these donations to feed low-income families and seniors in the community (“Harvest Crops,” 2016). Any leftover harvest generated by Lemon Grove’s community garden could be donated to help others in Lemon Grove and throughout San Diego County. Lemon Grove’s community garden could also be used to host gardening workshops. For example, the Altadena Community Garden in Los Angeles incorporates youth and adult gardening education workshops, such as their most recent event, “Grapevine Work- shop” (Altadena Community Garden, 2017). Workshops can also take root in sustainability education for young students. Much like San Miguel Elementary School has already exemplified, teaching gardening skills at schools allows young students to learn healthier habits, and we recommend the reinstitution of these methods throughout Lemon Grove schools. Olivewood Garden, a community garden in National City, California provides school garden workshops, as well as hands-on gardening. Olivewood Garden also provides interactive classes for children aged two to five years old with activities, such as a story time, a garden walk, and a garden tasting (“Olivewood Gardens Learning Center,” 2017). Similarly, young students could also display their artwork in the community garden, as in the Humane Smarts Community Garden in Los Angeles, which has successfully exhibit- ed student artwork, increasing garden involvement (Humane Smarts, 2017). We believe that the success of these workshops and showcases in other community gardens could be replicated in Lemon Grove. Crucial to the larger scope of this project, it is our hope that these recommendations provide for a more sustainable Lemon Grove. To this aim, we believe composting and recycling stations constitute necessary amenities for any proposed community garden in Lemon Grove. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 20−30% of all municipal solid waste is compostable (Environmental Protection Agency, 2016). In 2013, Lemon Grove had a grand total of 21,637 wet short tons of solid waste (CalRecycle, 2014),

emitting a total of 7,302 metric tons of carbon dioxide (MT/CO2; Epic & Atkins, 2013). A city-wide composting initiative has the potential to reduce this amount to 5,111 MT/CO2 emissions—a 30% reduction from composting alone.

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Architecture and Design In designing Lemon Grove’s community garden, we first recommend the addition of raised gardening beds, as shown in Figure 4. These structures are ideal for the recommended garden locations because, although most locations are clean and vacant, they are mostly populated with unenriched dirt. The raised beds would allow gardeners to fill their plots with soil and nutrients appropriate for the plants, produce, and flowers they choose to grow. This, will, in turn, avoid potential soil contamination and the need to adjust the land. Raised beds in the community garden would also help prevent back strains or other injuries related to repeated bending, kneeling, and reaching.

Figure 4: Raised garden beds.

Although wood would be a viable choice for constructing these raised beds, we recommend the use of brick. Brick plots will give a sense of established construction and a more refined look compared to wood. Bricks are easy to stack and, thus, raised beds could be easily constructed. To prevent the porous brick from drawing water out of the soil via capillary action and to combat potential graffiti, we recommend that the plots be coated with a water and graffiti repellent product that is made by the company, PROSOCO. The products that this company creates are Volatile Organic Compound compliant and California Air Resources Board compliant (ASDCO, 2017). To combat evaporation, as Lemon Grove is located in an arid region, we recommend the installation of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe water ports, as shown in Figure 5. This mech- anism will allow water to move directly to the root system. In turn, the water will not be directly exposed to the sunlight for easy evaporation. Incorporating netting will protect the residents’ garden from scavenging animals and insects.

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In addition, to easily harvest rainwater, Lemon Grove’s community garden should include larger rain barrels. Rain barrels help save money by reducing the amount of water needed from municipal sources, reducing nonpoint source pollution, and making the plants stronger and healthier because of the use of non-treated water (Rain Barrels, 2017). According to the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, rain water in a barrel is safe to use on a vegetable garden as long as the gardeners follow certain recommendation and healthy practices. Per these recommendations, barrels should be cleaned with a 3% bleach solution before collecting water, and harvested water should be applied only to the soil and should be supplied in the morning.

Figure 5: PVC Pipe Watering Port.

To improve the garden’s landscape, we further recommend adding benches and areas for residents to sit and lounge. We also suggest that there be ample walking and wheelchair pathways so everyone has access to the garden and to view crops. In the summer months, gazebos and arbors could provide protection from the sun. Additionally, a small shed could house community tools for maintenance of the garden.

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Produce & Plants The San Diego region is an optimal location for growing a variety of plants and produce. During the cool season in San Diego County, potential crops include spinach, lettuce, celery, carrots, beets, and radishes (Master Gardeners San Diego, 2016). During the warm season, potential crops include tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet corn, and can- taloupe. The Master Gardeners Association of San Diego has multiple planting guides denoting successful crops that grow well in the inland and coastal regions of San Diego County. See Appendix B for a seasonal growing chart for the inland region of San Diego County, where Lemon Grove is located. Summer is an excellent time for individuals, families, and younger students to spend time outside and explore the skill of gardening. Ideally, learning these skills at a community garden will transfer to their home life where residents can create gardening space in their own homes.

Funding and Budget Although we recommend that the City of Lemon Grove contribute to the financial initiation of a Lemon Grove community garden, we believe that it should be a primarily resident-driven initiative. For this to succeed, residents would need to seek out funding in the form of sponsorships, donations, and fundraising. This could be accomplished through partnerships with local businesses, community members, and non-profit organizations. These partnerships can be monetary in nature, or they can be as simple as seeking materials and promoting the community garden. Some organizations and programs that might be appropriate community garden partners are: Live Well San Diego, Kaiser Permanente’s Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) program and HEAL Cities campaign, Home Depot, Olivewood Gardens, the San Diego Community Garden Network, and even utility and water companies, such as Helix Water District. Support for the garden could be acquired by partnering with Lemon Grove Community Church, Lemon Grove community center events, Lemon Grove Senior Center, and also Lemon Grove HEAL Zone. In addition to seeking funds, a Lemon Grove Garden Club annual or monthly membership fee could contribute to supporting the garden. The Point Loma Garden Club is one of the many cities in California and across the country that have successfully implemented a membership fee. By their example, community members can choose to pay only for their plots, without needing membership to the garden club. A recycling program implemented in Lemon Grove schools can also provide a funding source for a community garden. Implementing a recycling program to collect bottles and cartons is a sustainable way to collect funds that will further help develop students’ minds, and appreciation for gardening. Appendix C offers an overview of grants that might be useful for obtaining funds for the garden and a list of tools necessary to maintain a community garden. The United States Department of Agriculture website provides over 100 current grant and scholarship opportunities for growing community gardens (USDA, 2017).

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Successful Community Garden Implementation In San Diego County, the City of Escondido funds and operates two successful community gardens. The Senior Garden (west side of Centre City Parkway between El Norte Park- way and Mission Ave.) is open to all city residents aged 55 or older. The garden consists of 26 separate 256-square-foot plots. The garden also features a storage shed for tools and supplies, a bathroom, weekly waste pick-up service, and nighttime lighting. The cost per plot is $15 per year. The Escondido Community Garden (at the same location) is open to all city residents and consists of 80 4'×20' plots. This garden also has a storage shed, bathroom, picnic tables, waste removal and nighttime lighting. The cost per plot at this site is $36 per year (City of Escondido, 2017). The City of Carlsbad has another example of a city-funded community garden program. The Harold E. Smerdu Community Garden (1250 Laguna Drive) has been owned by the city since 1984. The garden features 52 600-square-foot plots, each with access to hose irrigation. The garden allows residents to grow vegetables, fruits, and flowers but restricts the growth of trees. The cost for a plot is $120 per year. To be eligible for use, applicants must be city residents, and the waitlist for a plot has over 100 people on it. The city is also planning the construction of a second facility, the Pine Park Community Garden (Madison Street at Chestnut Avenue). This location will offer 32 raised garden plots. The goal of this second garden will be to teach garden classes and offer intergen- erational activities for the community. This location will also feature athletic fields and an ultra-low-water-use ornamental garden (City of Carlsbad, 2017). Culver City Community Gardens in Los Angeles County (Culver Boulvard between Coombs and Elenda Streets) features 16 rental plots intended to provide gardening activities for city residents who would otherwise not have access to the space to do so. The garden is maintained by the city’s Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department. In order to be eligible for the use of a plot, applicants must be a city resident, live in an apartment or condo, and have no other garden available to them (City of Culver City, 2017). It is our hope that these recommendations aid Lemon Grove in establishing successful and exemplary community gardens. The most important element to this end is partnership. Partnership between community residents, local schools, local businesses, and especially the City of Lemon Grove is crucial for forming this shared community space. As we now shift to evaluating five of Lemon Grove’s city recreational parks, it is important we also keep the element of partnership in mind. It will require the collaboration of residents, city employees, and businesses alike to draw more residents and families outside and exercising in their local city parks.

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City Parks The City of Lemon Grove currently has five public parks: Berry Street Park, Civic Center Park, Lemon Grove Park, Dan Kunkel Park, and Firefighters Skate Park. According to surveys administered to Lemon Grove residents, interviews, and personal visits to the parks, we gathered community perceptions of these parks. Based on these perceptions, we generated recommendations for possible renovations and new amenities to further benefit the community that the parks serve. As described by the Sustainable Cities Institute, public parks are “… vital spaces for people of all ages and for a variety of occasions—both passive and active. These spaces can be places for walking, biking, swimming, picnics, public gatherings, public art, public festivals, farmer’s markets or simple gathering […] Every community needs opportunities to recreate and to gather. These spaces should be as diverse as the occasions needed for them. There should be dedicated public park spaces for moments and occasions including active recreation, passive recreation and public gathering and celebrating” (Sustainable Cities Institute, n.d.). In addition to providing benefits to the community, city parks carry hefty environmental value. They filter the air and water, which provides a direct impact on public health. The greenery that is planted throughout the parks cleanses the air of pollutants that can dam- age the respiratory system and cause other health-related problems over time. Because of the green space that parks foster, the carbon footprint of the surrounding environment is reduced. By reducing the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the air, the vegetation in parks helps to offset the effects of global warming and cools the city. By providing residents with a place to exercise and gather, city parks can help foster and adopt healthy lifestyles. Regular physical activity can reduce stress and lower the risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other related illness and disease.

Current Parks

Berry Street Park Overview Berry Street Park is a large, all-encompassing park. There are two designated parking lots leading to wide grassy areas for relaxing, sports, or other activities. Within the park grounds, there are three gazebos equipped with benches and grilling stations. There is a large, central playground with a surrounding concrete pathway, plenty of shaded areas, and a public restroom. On the far side is the only off-leash dog park, or dog-designated area, in Lemon Grove. There are two separated areas, one for smaller dogs and one for larger dogs. Both areas have a modest amount of agility obstacles as well as compli- mentary waste bags to help keep the park clean of dog waste.

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Renovations Berry Street Park has the greatest potential for improvement, as residents utilize the park for birthday parties and special events and it contains the only dog park in the city. One of the major concerns from residents was the need for more gazebos, as they are a popular amenity. Currently, Berry Street Park has three gazebos, and there is a great amount of under-utilized green space that could house additional gazebos and picnic tables. Many residents look to Berry Street Park as a venue choice for their celebrations, special events, and family outings. Lemon Grove’s Park Land Dedication Ordinance budget of 2016−2017 shows the different expenditures that were proposed to improve the park (“Fiscal year 2016−2017,” 2016). It shows that $75,000 were allotted for gazebos, which was the highest of the improvements needed to the park. This suggests that the city has already noted the importance of adding more gazebos to Berry Street Park for residents to use. In order to improve the accessibility and mobility of Berry Street Park, we wish to emphasize paving the walkways within the parking lot and inside the park as well as establishing a cemented or paved path to the dog park. Walkway paths are pivotal in providing rest areas for the elderly who may become tired as they enjoy gallivanting within the park. Moreover, we propose that the city include speed bumps to the streets within crossing proximity of the park entrances. This will provide an additional safety measure for visitors who may be at risk when they are going to or coming from the park. According to residents, Berry Street Park needs a soccer field. Unfortunately, there is not sufficient space for a full-sized field without taking too much away from the undedicated grass area. However, installing two goal posts within the park would allow for more than just one group of residents to enjoy the park and its soccer amenity. Using sturdy and heavy goalposts would help prevent them from falling over in times of high winds, and it would also aid in the prevention of their theft. For safety and convenience, we recommend installing a fence or high netting on the street side of the goal if it is placed by a street. This would decrease the probability of the ball flying into the street and hitting cars. This barrier would also decrease the likelihood that park visitors will need to cross street traffic to retrieve a ball. The introduction of goal posts and a fence or netting for safety and maintaining the soccer area would be cheaper than constructing a soccer field. These additions would also make Berry Street Park more suitable for children, adolescents, and adults who enjoy the game of soccer. With regards to the dog park, adding a paved path provide better access to this park amenity. Because the dog park is currently tucked in the back corner, it can be hard to access for those with limited mobility. There is also a health need for improving the sanitation of the dog park. The only trash receptacle located in this part of the park is a short bin that was seen overflowing with dog waste, presenting a sanitation concern. Adding dog waste stations equipped with dog waste bags and a trash can with a lid to dispose

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of the dog waste, would increase the sanitation of the dog park for not only the animals, but also visitors and residents. It was noted that there were a few buckets of sitting water, which were used as drinking bowls for the dogs. Due to the Zika virus threat that was confirmed by the CDC in October of 2016 and other mosquito-borne diseases, we found the sitting bowls of water to be a health concern. We recommend removing these sources of stagnant water at the dog park to reduce opportunities for the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses.

Civic Center Park Overview Civic Center Park is home to the city’s historical museum and rose garden. It is within walking distance of the trolley station and bus stops, making it one of the most convenient parks for pedestrians using the local public transit system. There is a parking lot that is well shaded, a modest amount of grassy area, a water fountain surrounded by a rose garden, and lighted pathways. Civic Center Park is also conveniently located across the street from a shopping center.

Renovations Small but notable additions to Civic Center Park would be drinking fountains, picnic tables, additional benches, and canopies. While promoting park utilization and physical exercise, we also recommend measures to allow park-goers to stay hydrated. Installing a dual-purpose fountain, a drinking fountain and water bottle refill station, as shown in Figure 6, would help ensure that they stay hydrated.

Figure 6: Elkay’s Bi-Level Outdoor Pedestal Fountain, Upper Water Refilling Station.

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This product is made of steel and has a “weather- resistant finish with corrosion protection, [it] features vandal-resistant one-piece bubbler and vandal resistant push- button activation for active locations. This fountain is certified by WQA (Water Quality Association) to lead-free compliance” (Elkay, n.d.). This water station can be purchased for $2,981.90 without tax and installation fees. Because of this park’s convenient location, including picnic tables and additional park benches would diversify the park and allow it to be utilized by more residents. Cano- pies that span the picnic tables would protect those who are under them from the sun. Benches around the grass field could provide rest areas for those who may be passing through, but they could also serve as places for parents who are minding their children as they play. With the inclusion of more trees, Civic Center Park would attain more shade, and the additional green space would enhance the natural elegance and surrounding environmental quality. Installing fitness equipment would repurpose the available space at the park and encourage the community to start or continue fostering healthy lifestyles. Greenfields Outdoor Fitness is one company that provides a variety of outdoor fitness equipment that can be installed in Civic Center Park. Greenfields’ durable outdoor fitness equipment does not require weights to operate, using body weight for resistance. Greenfields’ “Medium Sample Package 1” (shown in Figure 7) comes with ten pieces of exercise equipment, but will allow up to 27 users at once.

Figure 7: Greenfields’ Medium Sample Package 1.

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Lemon Grove Park

Overview Lemon Grove Park is a mid-sized recreational area located in the southeastern portion of the city. This location is very well kept; the parking lot and pathways are free of debris due to the highly accessible trashcans and recycling bins that are regularly cleaned. Lemon Grove Park is an attractive option for families because there is a large, open grass field with picnic tables, a full-size basketball court, and two play structures—one for older children and another for younger children. A concreted pathway allows residents to enjoy a walk, jog, or bike ride around the park’s perimeter. Gazebos and grills are placed throughout the park as well.

Renovations To improve Lemon Grove Park, there are a few minor additions that we recommend. Increasing the number of water fountains in the park is one way to further serve the community members. Only one water fountain was noted near the restrooms. Installing an additional one or two water fountain/refill stations would be appropriate considering the size of the park. Because Lemon Grove Park has an already conveniently concreted pathway that encompasses the park, park-goers who utilize this trail for fitness training may benefit from the QR Fit Trail, described later in this report.

Dan Kunkel Park Overview Dan Kunkel Park provides a shady location for Lemon Grove residents. It is located adjacent to a school and a church and is near the Rodeway Inn. There is a playground in one corner of the park, trash cans, benches, and a grass area that is accompanied by two half courts for basketball. Unlike the other parks that Lemon Grove has to offer, Dan Kunkel Park does not have a parking lot. Park-goers must find street parking.

Renovations Dan Kunkel Park could benefit from a few aesthetic improvements. The park currently lacks any identifying signage. Providing a simple sign, like what is already in place at other parks in Lemon Grove, would bring appeal and definition to this park. There is also a large, undecorated concrete wall that could be beautified with a community mural. Transforming this bare structure into a work of community art could significantly impact the ambiance of the park. As with other parks, we recommend installing water fountain/refill stations at Dan Kunkel Park, especially considering that there are currently no water fountains at this park. Possible locations for these fountains/refill stations are at the basketball courts or near the playground.

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Graffiti was noted at several locations in this park, which could affect perceptions of the park, including perceived safety, and, consequently, the amount of visitors to it. For instance, inappropriate language tagged on the play structure might prevent parents from bringing their children to the park. We recommend removing this graffiti to make the park more appealing to visitors. As with Civic Center Park, Dan Kunkel Park could also benefit from the addition of exercise equipment. Providing public exercise equipment in more than one location could attract residents to open spaces for exercise without overcrowding. Further, installing different equipment packages at Civic Center Park and Dan Kunkel Park would provide varied, non-competing options to park visitors.

Firefighter Skate Park Overview This skate park sports an array of equipment for skating. Mostly concrete for the skating surface, this skate park has nicely accented red paint on the skate surfaces, adding aesthetic appeal. There is a convenient walkway from the sidewalk into the park and an appropriately sized grass area that lines one side of the park. Featuring round and flat rails, drop-ins, ramps, stair sets, and grind boxes/ledges, this skate park is fit for skaters of all skill levels.

Renovations In 2013, the city wrote in its spring newsletter, “After querying numerous patrons at the park, city staff came to the conclusion that there are enough patrons of the park to warrant some form of an improvement. The next step will be to find funding available to improve the Skate Spot, then to work to create an affordable expansion plan that still meets the needs of everyone visiting the Skate Spot.” (The Grove Gazette, 2013). On Saturday, August 13, 2016, a public meeting was held for those who wanted to discuss the new plans and provide their input, feedback, and wishes for the renovations to the skate park. Prior to the renovation and expansion, the skate park had two flat rails and a grind box/ledge. The skate park was successfully expanded and renovated by California Skateparks. After renovation, the skate park was increased from 2,100 to 3,500 square feet, which amounts to a 40% expansion of its concrete space to skate. The renovations also included installation of multiple skating amenities, including stairs, numerous rails, grind boxes and ledges, ramps and drop-ins. These renovations are shown in Figure 8.

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Figure 8: Firefighters Skate Park after renovation.

A grand re-opening event was held on April 29, 2017. During this event, the skating community celebrated the launch of the newly renovation and expanded park. A skate competition was held for those who wished to participate. The event included live music, food, skate vendors, and giveaways. Considering the city’s recent and successful renovation and expansion of Firefighters Skate Park, we do not have any additional recommendations regarding renovations. Firefighters Skate Park’s renovation provides a promising example of successful park renovation in Lemon Grove.

Potential New Park Locations In addition to the five current parks in Lemon Grove, two parcels have been suggested as locations for a new park or parks. The first parcel, location A, is on North Avenue between Allison Lane and Olive Street, as shown in Figure 2. The second parcel, location B, is at the corner of Central Avenue and Olive Street, also shown in Figure 2. Locations A and B are the same parcels that have been suggested for potential community gardens.

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Community Events and Involvement

Current and Previous Methods

Summer Concert Series Lemon Grove’s Summer Concert Series celebrates its 10th anniversary in the summer of 2017. This annual event is held at Berry Street Park. For eight weeks, on each Thursday, there is a free concert from 6:30 p.m.−8:00 p.m. for residents and visitors to enjoy. Each week, a performer of a different genre is scheduled, and attendees can bring their own food, blankets, chairs, and pets (on a leash). “Music is the universal language of man- kind,” and this summer event brings the community together for safe, fun, enjoyable and warm nights in the park (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, n.d.).

Summer Movies in the Park Hosted at Berry Street Park, Summer Movies in the Park is an event attracting residents and visitors of all ages for a free showing of a family-friendly movie under the stars. Attending this event would provide residents with the “perfect chance to relax and enjoy a safe and special night under the stars […] The Summer Movies in the Park event series began in 2007 as a ‘take back our parks’ initiative, giving local residents a reason to visit their local county and city parks for a free and safe evening event” (Summer Movies in the Park, 2017).

Paws in the Park Held at Civic Center Park, this Lemon Grove event had its debut on July 30, 2016. Paws in the Park has multiple activities for pets as well as their owners to partake in. “The City of Lemon Grove’s Paws in the Park event is sure to be a howling good time for people and their canine companions. This brand new dog adoption/spay and neuter awareness event, will feature several local animal rescues, the SNAP Spay & Neuter Bus, low cost vaccinations as well as food trucks! Festivities include rescue adoptions, family activities, contests, and even a pet photo booth!” (Lemon Grove, 2016)

New Methods Because many residents expressed interest in the park programs already available in Lemon Grove, we examined successful park programs around the country as examples for Lemon Grove to improve the safety and well-being of its community.

Event Calendar and Bulletin Board We recommend that each park maintain a monthly calendar of events that will take place in the park. These events could include family activity days, field days, exercise programs in the parks, community cleanups, and recycling drives. Monthly calendars could be

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posted on the city’s website and in the library or other public spaces. Hard copies of calendars could be distributed to students at school that would then be brought to their homes. Furthermore, a bulletin board housed at each park would provide a place to post these calendars as well as fliers related to other community events or announcements.

Summer Night Lights

Summer Night Lights is the first of several existing, successful park programs we will highlight that improve health, safety, and decrease violence This program is located in Los Angeles, a city with considerable gang violence. Unfortunately, park and recreation areas in poor neighborhoods are frequent sites for this violence, especially during the summer months. To combat this violence in public parks, park leaders in Los Angeles created Summer Night Lights, which extends nighttime hours in eight parks in troubled neighborhoods until midnight. During these extended hours, organized family-oriented activities are implemented. As a result of this park program, there has been a 57% reduction in gang-related homicides in Summer Night Lights neighborhoods, creating a safer community for families (Alliance, C. P., n.d.). Lemon Grove could benefit from hosting a program similar to Summer Night Lights to bring families, friends and the community together in a fun and safe environment.

Outdoor Fitness Classes All five parks in Lemon Grove have under-utilized open space. To encourage more people to use the parks while also encouraging physical exercise, fitness classes could be held in these park spaces. With a wide variety of popular forms of exercise, such as kickboxing, yoga, tai chi, and, Pilates, Lemon Grove residents are likely to find a healthy activity they enjoy or would like to try. According to the American Heart Association, an increase in physical activity decreases the risk of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases (Thompson, 2003), and exercising can also help maintain cognitive function in older individuals (Colcombe, 2003). In addition to these health benefits, hosting fitness classes in city parks would also provide opportunities for socializing and community building.

Walking Club The City of Lemon Grove created trails at Berry Street Park in 2014, and a group of residents created a walking group they called the “walk-a-holics” shortly thereafter (San Diego Union Tribune, 2015). Creating trails and/or designated walking routes and fostering clubs or groups with regular meetings/walking days or evenings would establish a sense of community where people can come together to promote and enjoy physical activity. Such groups would be fitting for residents of all ages, including entire families. As with outdoor fitness classes, exercise programs, such as a walking club, could help combat high obesity rates and provide other health-positive outcomes for Lemon Grove residents.

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QR Fit Trail A QR Fit Trail is a new tool that combines fitness and modern technology. It consists of sign postings placed along a pathway (“QR Fit Trail,” 2011). Each sign posting holds QR codes, which can be scanned by a QR reader app on a smartphone (as shown in Figure 9).

Figure 9: QR Fit Trail Sign.

Once a QR code is scanned, an instructional video opens on the user’s device, which then coaches the user through a body-weighted exercise. Each sign has four QR codes that correspond to core, upper-body, lower-body, and flexibility drills. All exercises require only the user’s body weight and can be performed by users with a beginner’s fitness level. Most exercises can be modified to become more challenging to accommodate advanced users (“QR Fit Trail; “Fitness Routines,” 2015) . The QR Fit Trail would be a relatively inexpensive addition to the park. Installation would require a one-time installation fee and an annual renewal fee of two-hundred dollars (to renew the subscription to the videos). Use of the trail would be free for residents and visitors. There is reason to believe that the QR Fit Trail would be successful in Lemon Grove, as it has already been successfully utilized in seven parks around San Diego County as part of the Live Well San Diego initiative. The QR Fit Trail also provides statistical reports, including number of times the trail has been accessed and number of users at a given time, allowing the city to monitor use of the trail (“QR Fit Trail”; “Fitness Routines,” 2015).

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Safety Increasing safety measures at the city’s parks could increase usage of the parks by community members. Below, we make recommendations for the city’s parks intended to create a safer environment for community members, to attract more visitors, and to enhance the overall well-being of the community. Tending to broken equipment and keeping the playground equipment in operating order will help reduce the risk of preventable accidents and injury. To reduce the city’s liability for any injury that might occur due to unsafe playground equipment, it is recommended that playground maintenance is regular and preemptive. One method of promoting park safety is to create a Park Watch program in Lemon Grove. This program would warn and alert of any criminal activity that might occur and, in turn, could lower the crime rate (Wandsworth, n.d.). Upon implementation of this program, a new tab could be added to the city website for information and volunteer participation sign-up. An individual interested in volunteering for this program could sign up on the Lemon Grove website (“Volunteer Opportunities”, n.d.). The volunteers can select their time availability and take turns with shifts patrolling the park or post to an online blog page if any suspicious activity is seen. This program is currently successfully run in Santee, California, a city very close to Lemon Grove. Another way to increase safety, especially for young visitors using the playground, is to use sand as the material under the play equipment. Sand has many benefits for children. Its tactility provides constant feedback for children as they work with the material, and its sensory benefits improve fine and gross motor skills. Sand is a natural impact-absorbing material and is relatively inexpensive (PDplay, 2017). Sand, as opposed to wood chips, will not splinter children when they trip or fall down. Another method would be to add blue emergency lights, which can automatically pin- point the exact location of a distress call during an emergency (Zuidema, 2014). These light systems are user friendly and can be operated with a push of a button (Central Vacuum Stores, n.d.). This emergency light system could help prevent safety issues. To provide a cost estimate, consider the example of installing eight blue lights throughout Berry Street Park and Lemon Grove Park. The most affordable model of the emergency lights costs $565 for each light (Central Vacuum Stores, n.d.). Thus, the material cost for eight lights would be $4,520, not including taxes and installation costs. Figure 10 depicts a map with suggested locations for eight blue emergency lights: four in Berry Street Park (left) and four in Lemon Grove Park (right). We suggest that implementation of these light systems might fall within the scope of the law enforcement budget—$5,553,800 for the 2016−17 fiscal year (FY 2016−2017 Consolidated Operating and Capital Budget, n.d.), considering its potential impact on community welfare and public safety.

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Figure 10: Suggested locations for blue emergency lights in Berry Street Park and Lemon Grove Park.

To ensure safety and equal access to park amenities for all residents of Lemon Grove, we recommend reviewing each park to ensure full compliance with Title III of the Amer- icans with Disabilities Act (ADA). According to the California State Parks Accessibility Guideline, to be compliant with ADA technical elements, all spaces should be considered, including accessible parking spaces, accessible routes, and toilet facilities (California State Parks Accessibility Guideline, 2015). For example, Berry Street Park lacks many features that would allow full park access to those with limited mobility. There is no curb ramp to allow a person using a wheelchair to access amenities at the park. Ideally, an accessible route would provide access to the picnic area, gazebos, the visitor center, restrooms, and a designated trailhead. Another accessibility-enhancing option would be to include a Braille writing system for the blind. The drinking fountain could also be made fully accessible, a bench or benches could be installed with back support, and a restroom stall could be made to accommodate differently abled users. We believe that any improvements to the city’s parks would be incomplete without measures to ensure full access to all residents of Lemon Grove, including the elderly and differently abled. Making certain that bathroom stall doors extend low enough to the ground is recommended for personal privacy and safety. One resident reported that a man looked under the stall door as her daughter was using the restroom. Unregulated bathrooms can be a health hazard. Regular maintenance of the bathrooms for cleanliness, sanitation, and proper drainage for all sinks, toilets, and urinals would help in the prevention of health hazards.

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Lastly, we recommend installing additional lighting in all city parks. During evening visits to the parks, the atmosphere was noted as dark and uninviting, largely due to insufficient and uneven distribution of lighting fixtures. Our vision is to have solar-powered light sources installed, which would provide additional safety at night, incur reduced energy costs, and constitute an environmentally friendly choice. “Parks control urban sprawl and reduce crime, creating safer communities. Research shows that there is less crime in residential areas close to parks, in part because these green spaces are frequent gathering places for community members. The result is stronger community connections that empower residents to look out for one another.” (City Parks Alliance, n.d.).

Funding While it is our hope that the city can allocate some funds from their budget towards the renovations of the city’s parks, it is well understood that there must be other funding sources for park improvements. Here, we provide potential funding sources and other fiscal considerations for development of Lemon Grove’s green spaces Municipal parks add beauty to the neighborhood, increase property values, and attract people and businesses to the city. Kaufman and Cloutier (2006) calculated the effects of land use conversion on property values in a Kenosha, Wisconsin neighborhood. The study compared the average value of homes by remediation of an empty lot and renovation of the empty lot into a green space. Further investigation showed a continual decrease in property value as distance from the green space increased. This finding suggests that renovating existing parks and creating new ones can significantly increase surrounding property values. These enhanced property values would, in turn, contribute to increased tax revenues. According to former City Councilman George Gastil, Lemon Grove may be able to reach out to residents for park funding contributions (personal communication, April 12, 2017). Kaufman and Cloutier’s (2006) findings also support this statement, with the inference being that park-related increases in property value might make local homeowners more willing to contribute to park renovations Grants also present a viable funding source for local park improvements. The Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS) has a $368 million grant program that awards funds to over 120 communities, with a maximum grant request amount of $500,000. The California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) awards $1.3 million in grants to over 290 state parks for advancements and improvements. The HEAL Zone Program, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, awards $1 million to an entire city, and Lemon Grove is already associated with this program. The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is a non-profit organization that currently sponsors a Community Engagement Grant, awarding $10,000 to a community that demonstrates resident engagement in planning, designing, and maintaining a sustainable environment for their local park (National Recreation and Park Association, n.d.). There are only two requirements: a parks and recreation agency

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or 501(c)(3) non-profit organization must be the principal applicant; the project must also take place in a low-income, underserved community. The Trust for Public Land Program is another potential source of funding. This program is an Internal Revenue Service-approved, tax-exempt organization that works to improve public spaces ranging from neighborhood parks to major national parks. The goal of this program is to improve the health of communities and conserve precious landscapes. The Trust for Public Land Program works with both state and local governments to implement legislation and ballot measures to fund public parks. It has currently passed more than 527 ballot measures, generating roughly $68 billion in voter-approved funding for land restoration, conservation, and public parks. The Trust for Public Land currently has an 81% success rate in passing legislation and typically generates about $2,000 in public funds for every $1 invested in the program (Fund, 2016). Since the 1970s, the program has protected over three million acres of land and finalized roughly 5,400 park and conservation projects. The Trust for Public Land’s 2016 Annual Report featured such highlights as saving threatened national parks, including Yosemite, and constructing successful public parks in major cities, such as San Francisco and New York City (Fund, 2016). As a testimony to their success, the program features a section on their website known as the ‘Land for the People,’ which highlights real stories of real people all over America whose lives have been transformed by the implementation of public parks and ways that these new additions have transformed not only their own lives but entire communities. Donations from small local businesses and residents could be collected and used to fund different aspects of the park. Small attendance fees or donations would be collected and/or accepted during major park events, such as Fourth of July, Easter, Memorial Day, and Labor Day celebrations. It is our hope that the parks of Lemon Grove continue to serve the community by adapting to meet the needs of residents. Well-maintained parks impact overall satisfaction and desirability for residents as well as visitors and potential future residents. Many of the recommendations given here are implementable in all five city parks at different scales. The advantages of these park improvements include, but are not limited to, a cleaner, healthier, and more attractive environment for park visitors; physical, psychological, and social benefits to residents; and economic benefits, including increasing property values and attracting tourists and new homebuyers to Lemon Grove.

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Conclusion Although there will be some initial barriers to overcome, Lemon Grove could benefit from establishing community gardens and improving elements of its recreational parks. Based on the feedback of Lemon Grove residents, we conclude that many community members would be interested in participating in community activities hosted at gardens and parks in the city. Many residents further indicated that active community participation was lacking in Lemon Grove. Parks and gardens present an opportunity to foster community engagement and encourage active, healthy lifestyle choices. Of special importance is the extension of these opportunities to youth in Lemon Grove. With the prevalence of preventable health conditions, including obesity and chronic diseases, affecting children at a young age, there is reason to draw young people outdoors for physical activity. By taking these recommendations into consideration, we hope Lemon Grove can strengthen its existing programs and become an exemplar for sustainable living within San Diego County.

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References Aiphone TW-LCB Tower Top with Light Cage Blue (n.d.). Central Vacuum Stores. Retrieved APril 17, 2017 from http://www.centralvacuumstores. com/intercom-security/commerical-audio-video/additional-componets/ aiphone-tw-lcb-tower-top-with-light-cage-blue Alliance, C. P. (n.d.). Summer Night Lights. Retrieved May 04, 2017, from http://www. cityparksalliance.org/summer-night-lights Altadena Community Garden. (2017). Retrieved from http://www.altadenacommuni- tygarden.com. ASDCO. (2017). ASDCO Construction Supply: PROSOCO. Retrieved from https://www. asdcosupply.com/collections/prosoco. Balady G., Buchner, D., Peña, I., and Thompson, P. “Exercise and Physical Activity in the Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: A Statement From the Council on Clinical Cardiology (Subcommittee on Exercise, Rehabilitation, and Prevention) and the Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism (Subcommittee on Physical Activity)” University of South Carolina Scholar Commons (2003). Retrieved June 22, 2017 from http://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent. cgi?article=1137&context=sph_physical_activity_public_health_facpub California Skateparks (2017). Retrieved June 16, 2017 from http://californiaskate- parks.com/portfolio/lemon-grove-skatepark/%20http:/sandiego.carpediem.cd/ events/3211568-firefighters-skatepark-grand-reopening-event-at-3062-school-ln-lemon-grove-ca-91945-united-states/ California State Parks Accessibility Guidelines (2015). Retrieved June 20, 2017 from http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/1008/files/2015_california_state_parks_accessibility_ guidelines.pdf CDC. (2010, June 3).Healthy places: Community gardens. Retrieved from http://www. cdc.gov/healthyplaces/healthtopics/healthyfood/community.htm “Citizen Request.” City of San Diego, CA (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2017 from https:// www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/police/pdf/vacationhousecheck.pdf City of Lemon Grove (2013). Retrieved June 19, 2017 from https://www.lemongrove. ca.gov/Home/ShowDocument?id=662 City of San Diego Official Website (1970). Retrieved May 03, 2017, from https://www. sandiego.gov/ Cloutier, N. and Kaufman, D. (2006). The impact of small brownfields and green spaces on residential property values. The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics,

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33(1), 19-30. Retrieved from http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0308518X- 16636380?rss=1& Elkay (2017). Retrieved June 21, 2017 from http://www.elkay.com/lk4420bf1u Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Consolidated & Capital Budget (2016). Retrieved May 1, 2017, from https://www.lemongrove.ca.gov/Home/ShowDocument?id=2596 Fund. (2016). Retrieved May 03, 2017, from https://www.tpl.org/node/85613/#sm.001epph3b13i5f1cxn01fuep15jn8 “FY 2016-2017 Consolidated Operating and Capital Budget.” City of Lemon Grove, CA. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2017 from http://www.lemongrove.ca.gov/home/ showdocument?id=2610 Global Industrial (n.d.) Retrieved June 21, 2017 from http://www.globalin- dustrial.com/g/plumbing/drinking-fountains/water-refilling-stations/ elkay-outdoor-water-refilling-stations-92560 “Home Depot Foundation Grants” The Home Depot (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2017 from https://corporate.homedepot.com/community/home-depot-foundation-grants Live Well San Diego (2017). Retrieved June 23, 2017 from http://www.livewellsd.org Humane Smarts. (2017). Humane Smarts: Where the Heart Meets the Mind. Retrieved from http://humanesmarts.org. “Making Safe Parks for Everyone.” Useful Community Development. (n.d.) Retrieved April 17, 2017 from http://www.useful-community-development.org/safe-parks.html Mansfield, M. (2016, November 22). Social Media Statistics 2016. Retrieved from https:// smallbiztrends.com/2016/11/social-media-statistics-2016.html. Master Gardener Community Gardens Committee. (2017). Master gardener association of san diego county: Community gardens. Retrieved from http://www.mastergarden- erssandiego.org/community/index.php. National League of Sustainable Cities Institute (2017). Retrieved June 13, 2017 from http://www.sustainablecitiesinstitute.org National Recreation and Park Association (n.d.). Building resilient communities through green infrastructure in parks. Retrieved from http://www.nrpa.org/contentassets/0e196db99af544bbba4f63f480c1316b/building- resilient-communities-via-green-infrastructure-in-parks-rfa.pdf National Recreation and Park Association (n.d.). Creating safe park environments to enhance community wellness. Retrieved from https://www.nrpa.org/contentassets/ f768428a39aa4035ae55b2aaff372617/park-safety.pdf

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“Paws in the Park” City of Lemon Grove (2016) Retrieved June 22, 2017 from http:// www.lemongrove.ca.gov/community/community-events/paws-in-the-park PDPlay | Commercial Playground Equipment | Natural Play (n.d.). Retrieved May 04, 2017, from http://pdplay.wpengine.com/about-us/natural-play/ Pearlman, K. (2015). Walking path at Berry Street Park a hit. The San Diego Union- Tri- bune. Retrieved from http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-walking-path-berry- street-park-lemon-grove-2015dec03-story.html Point Loma Garden Club. (2014). Gardening in Point Loma. Retrieved from http://www. plgc.org. Pinner, M. (2016). Blue light emergency phones bring safety to campus. Retrieved April 17, 2017 from http://www.wcforummedia.com/campus/2016/3/2/ blue-light-emergency-phones-bring-safety-to-campus QR Fit Trail (2017). Retrieved from http://qrfittrail.com Rain Barrels (2017, April). Home Lawn and Garden (Penn State Extension). Retrieved from http://extension.psu.edu/plants/gardening/eco-friendly/rain-barrels. Rain Barrels Part IV. (2013). Testing and Applying Harvested Water to Irrigate a Vegetable Garden. Retrieved from https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/fs1218/ Santa Clarita Community Garden (2017). Community Gardens of Santa Clarita. Retrieved from http://www.communitygardensofsantaclarita.org. Scotts Miracle Gro (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2017 from https://scottsmiraclegro.com/ responsibility/gro1000/ “Summer Concert Series” City of Lemon Grove (2017). Retrieved June 22, 2017 from http://www.lemongrove.ca.gov/community/community-events/ summer-concert-series “Summer Movies in the Park” City of Lemon Grove (2017). Retrieved June 22, 2017 from http://www.lemongrove.ca.gov/community/community-events/ summer-movies-in-the-park The Mind Unleashed (n.d.). Retrieved June 22, 2017 from http://themindunleashed.com/2015/02/music-indeed-universal-language-study-con- cludes.html U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2017 from https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD “Volunteer Opportunities.” City of Lemon Grove (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2017 from http://www.lemongrove.ca.gov/community/volunteer-opportunities

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Wandsworth Council (n.d.). Neighbourhood Watch. Retrieved April 17, 2017 from http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/info/200491/community_safety/1803/ neighbourhood_watch “Why Urban Parks Matter” City Parks Alliance (2017). Retrieved June 22, 2017 from http://www.cityparksalliance.org/why-urban-parks-matter Zika Virus. (2016). Retrieved April 20, 2017, from http://www. sandiegocounty.gov/hhsa/programs/phs/community_epidemiology/dc/zika_viru s.html Zuidema, M. (2014, January 21). 7 Reasons Mobile Apps Won't Replace Your Blue Light Phones. Retrieved April 17, 2017 from http://www.campussafetymagazine.com/ blogs/7-reasons-mobile-apps-won-t-replace-your-blue-light-phones/

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Appendix A

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Appendix B

41 Community Gardens and City Parks in Lemon Grove, CA

Appendix C

Grant Description Amount Organization Source

United States Department of Offers funding to buy, build, or repair Agriculture (USDA) essential community facilites. One stated Indefinite USDA USDA, 2017 Community Facilities purpose is "local food systems such as Direct Loan and community gardens". Grant Program

Offers funds and tools for community Friskars Project gardens to reach goals of neighborhood Up to USDA USDA, 2017 Orange Thumb beautification, community collaboration, and $3500 healthy sustainable food sources.

United States Environmental Offers funding for sustainable community Protection projects that aim to educate residents Up to Agency (USEPA) USEPA USEPA, 2017 on healthy lifestyles and healthy food $30,000 Environmental production. Justice Small Grants Program

United States Department of Offers funding towards wide range of Housing and Urban community development needs. This grant Development Indefinite HUD HUD, 2017 program is the longest continuous program (HUD): Community within HUD. Development Block Program

Scott's Scott's GRO1000 Offers funds towards the creation of a new $1,500 Miracle Miracle- Grassroots Grant community garden. Grow Grow, 2017

Offers 15 annual scholarships towards Gardening Know schools building or improving their $1,000 How community garden.

Home Depot Offers funds in the form of Home Depot gift Home Depot, Community Impact cards that can be used to purchase tools, $5,000 Home Depot 2017 Program materials, and services.

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Item Description Unit Cost Quantity Total

Blocks 933.44

Vegetable beds: double stacked (4'x20'x16" avg) 3 272 816

Pollinator/Insectary Bed: single layer (10.67'x10.67'x8") 3 30 90

1/4" sand base for both 3.43 8 27.4 4

Soil 645

Vegetable beds: Nature's Way "Garden & Flower Bed Mix" 43 12 516

Pollinator/Insectary Bed: Nature's Way "Garden & Flower Mix" 43 3 129

Mulch 63

Vegeable beds: alfalfa hay bale 19 2 38

Pollinator/Insectary bed: Native shredded composted mulch 25 1 25

Garden Elements 858.5

Shed: Small resin storage shed (6' x 8') 548 1 548

Compost Bin 50 1 50

Birdbath: large concrete from Statue Makers 89 1 89

Habitat Plants 1 gallon from Treesearch (wholesale) 3.5 49 171.5

Irrigation 146

Water hose: 50' all rubber 25 2 50

Water nozzel: fan or rose nozzle 8 2 16

Hose reel 40 2 80

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Item Description Unit Cost Quantity Total

Tools 1850.89

Hand trowels 6 10 60

Shovels: pointed head 10.24 16 163.84

Rakes: heavy metal 25 2 50

Wheelbarrow 80 1 80

By-pass pruners 10 1 10

Loppers 20 1 20

5 gallon buckets 3.98 2 7.96

Tomato cages: 24" Texas Tomato Cages, collapsible & sturdy 159 6 159

Trowel: Marshall Town 6" x 2.75" 12.5 16 200

Rototiller, 10 " 43 cc Gas 2 cycle cultivator 4 179 716

Park Benches, Parkland Heritage 128.03 3 384.09

Annually Puchased Supplies 2307.24

Fertilizer: Microlife 39 4 156

Alfalfa Hay Bale: purchase at feed store 19 4 76

Seeds 25 50 1250

Transplants, onion sets, sweet potato chips, garlic bulbs 50 50 2500

Organic Ant Control: Greenlight with Spinosad 14.79 1 14.79

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