RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Forest Hill residents on July 3 said someone maliciously vandalized the Owl Orchard community garden on W. 44th Street. The person came through and cut down okra, tomatoes and other vegetables. Neighbors say it’s devastating to see their hard work uprooted and severed.
“To see somebody do that to a community garden is really heartbreaking,” said Dave McCormack, who lives across the street. “I know for a fact that some of the kids planted the okra that was chopped down,” commented longtime planter James McDonald. “I don’t think they know yet but they’ll be disappointed.”
The city owns the garden. McDonald said he is going to report the vandalism to the city’s Richmond Grows initiative when city offices reopen on July 6. According to the city’s website, a community garden is “a portion of city-owned property used to grow fruits, vegetables, flowers, herbs, wood products, native or ornamental plants for non-commercial purposes, i.e. where there is no exchange of goods for monetary value.”
The city offers property for community gardens to incorporated organizations, unincorporated organizations and governmental organizations via an online application process.
