Blog: City Blog

Mayor Rogero Tours Downtown YMCA Rooftop Garden

Harvest time is in full swing on a rooftop in downtown Knoxville.

This week, Ellen Moran of Lindsay Young YMCA invited Mayor Madeline Rogero to tour the Community Giving Garden that grows high above Henley Street and provides a sweeping view of the World's Fair Park.

Mayor Rogero at YMCA rooftop garden

The rooftop garden, where greens, herbs and tomatoes are grown hydroponically or in small containers, is one of three YMCA Community Giving Gardens in the city. The other two are ground-level gardens at the Cansler Y and Davis Family Y.

Hydroponic tomato crop on YMCA rooftop

The gardens are places where young people can get their hands in the dirt and learn about growing fruits and vegetables. During the 2016 season, the gardens donated more than 5,300 pounds of produce to local partner food banks including FISH Hospitality Pantries, Manna House, and the C.A.R.E. Food Pantry.

Volunteers keep the gardens thriving and the donations ongoing. For more info on how you can volunteer your green thumb to the Community Giving Gardens, visit the Y's website.

Mayor Rogero and Ellen Morar (photo courtesy of Jim Dickson)

Mayor Rogero and Ellen Morar (photo courtesy of Jim Dickson)

Posted by ptravis On 03 October, 2017 at 11:25 AM