The community garden at 8th and Emerson Streets in Denver's; Capitol Hill was started in 1977, on a large piece of prime real estate that covered two large house lots. Our water came from the fire hydrant that Denver Water let us use on a flat rate [!]. While we were worrying about whether they were going to install a meter [they kept threatening for years], Mr. Goldman died [he was 93 or something] and his heirs decided to sell the property, and that was the end of the garden. Our leader for many years was the amazing Yvonne Prendergast ~ who passed on in about 2007 and who now has a memorial brick at the Denver Botanic Gardens, purchased by garden members. Others who had long and influential tenures as leaders at the garden were Don and Gracie Batt. Many others contributed mightily over the years, including Brigitta Dupree, Liz Bliss, Dan Gray, Doug Hadra, Liz Tucci, John Durham, Emilia Kaplan, Debbie Kennedy, Lori Jervis, Jim Panzerella, Amy and Grant Van Pelt, Todd Betterman, Jack Conviser, and many others I can't remember right now. As of Summer, 2012, ground has broken on the property for multi-unit housing. I joined the garden in 1995, and in all the years I was there, the last five were the best as far as full occupation of our 41 plots, and for enthusiastic participation. We finally actually had a nice, operational composting system, a shed with a light, and consistent community maintenance. There were several people who had turned their gardens into showplaces, humbling us old timers.
