A Frisco Eagle Scout has created an ADA-compliant community garden accessible to all.
“My Eagle Scout Service Project is dedicated to enhancing The Harvest at Frisco Commons, a beautiful and sustainable garden for the community to gather, learn, and grow fruits and vegetables. I believe this project will provide lasting positive change in the community for years to come as it will teach others to grow their own produce to feed their families, provide donations to Frisco Family Services, and teach children about conservation and sustainability,” reads 15-year-old Jonathan Eaton’s website for the project.
Eaton raised $30,000 for the project, including a grant of over $5,000 from The Home Depot Foundation.
“The Harvest at Frisco Commons is a communal space managed by the City of Frisco that offers raised garden boxes for annual rental, as well as public education space for Frisco residents and volunteers. Gardeners may grow vegetables, fruits, herbs, or flowers in their leased space,” reads the website for The Harvest.
Eaton’s interest in gardening began four years ago when his family created a garden in their backyard, reported Fox 4 KDFW. His grandfather, who recently died, was also an Eagle Scout and shared a love for gardening. The project is dedicated to Eaton’s grandfather, who talked about scouting every day and the impact it had on his life.
“So, I feel like today he’s just smiling down at me from heaven and just like, ‘Man look at my grandson go!’ And I just can’t wait to see him one day,” Eaton told Fox 4.
According to Eaton’s website, the project, which took approximately six months to complete, consisted of adding four wheelchair-accessible, raised garden beds, a new and enclosed composting shed with two easy-to-use composting bins, two shade structures and picnic tables, two pergolas with flowering plants to promote pollination, a teaching bulletin board, and new signage and numbering for the garden beds.
“[Disabled gardeners] have the accessibility to roll up right here in their wheelchairs and just be able to garden right here without having to turn sideways and struggling to get in here,” he told Fox 4.
Eaton was expected to finish the project on Tuesday, reported Fox 4.
