Garden of Cedar project in South Scranton sprouts walls

Jim Lockwood, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
·2 min read

Aug. 15—SCRANTON — The Garden of Cedar project at 715 Cedar Ave. in South Side has sprouted concrete border walls.

Foundation footers recently were constructed first, followed by low concrete walls built atop the footers, said Garden of Cedar President Frank Dubas.

Fencing next will be installed atop the walls, he said.

The front of the site would have an open feel from the sidewalk, and the interior of the garden plot would have disabled-accessible walkways, raised planting beds and other features.

"The idea is that it would be welcoming," Dubas said.

He hopes to have the community garden ready for seeds next year.

"I am trying as hard as I can to get it done," Dubas said. "I want to get it done this fall so people can plant in the spring."

His goal for a community garden is to provide healthy nourishment, education and enjoyment to a diverse, culturally rich community composed of recent immigrants and long-term neighborhood residents.

Dubas hopes the Garden of Cedar will become a testament to the resilience of one of Scranton's most diverse neighborhoods.

A Garden of Cedar company acquired the property in 2018 in a tax sale. The narrow property is 40 feet wide along Cedar Avenue and 150 feet deep between Cedar Avenue and Rosen Court.

He held a ceremonial groundbreaking in October 2020, followed by an actual groundbreaking in May 2021. It then took a year for construction work to get started in earnest, and it began this past May.

Rosemary McGuigan, who lives nearby on Birch Street, looks forward to the garden project getting completed and visiting the site with friends.

"I think this is wonderful," McGuigan said. "Anything that would bring people together in a peaceful environment is good for the neighborhood."

Contact the writer:

jlockwood@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5185;

@jlockwoodTT on Twitter.

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