While nothing remains of the large stone turtle that inspired local residents to give Turtle Park and Garden its name, several smaller versions of the reptile rest on a stump in a corner of the park. The playful name and previous use as a play lot also hint at the fact that Turtle Park and Garden is a favorite place for neighborhood children who are treated annually to a number of events, from Easter egg hunts and trick-or-treating at Halloween to a Christmas visit from Santa. The many senior residents of the community also frequent the garden to sit and read, write letters, share lunch with friends or simply watch the neighborhood go about its business. The Korean-themed gazebo in the middle of the park makes all of these activities possible, as well as proudly represents the heritage of the large Korean community nearby.
The sunny west end of Turtle Park and Garden is home to numerous beds of herbs and vegetables tended by local residents, while the shadier east side is a multi-use park featuring dozens of varieties of flowering plants and trees. Initial creation of the space as a community park began in 1987 when longtime resident activists Evelyn Zaar and Elmer Lorenz started gathering people to pick up accumulated trash and pull weeds on a regular basis. They enlisted the help of several neighborhood organizations to strengthen the cause and eventually NeighborSpace became involved, bringing to the table numerous resources that secured the land as Turtle Park and Garden. Evelyn and Elmer are proud of the transformation the space has undergone, and the community’s work and dedication that made it possible – “From a trash-filled tot lot and gang and drug-addict hangout, we now grow vegetables and miniature fruit trees, as well as flowers, from early spring to the first frost.”
In Elmer’s & Evelyn’s Words: “A community in the process of creating a community garden produces fascinating and interesting ideas that can benefit the total community.”
Best Practice Idea: Elmer and Evelyn credit involvement from the entire community with the success of Turtle Park and Garden, but stress that strict guidelines for use of the space and its care are key to their accomplishments.
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