The Riverview Community Garden was originally an abandoned overgrown lot until two community leaders, Greg Bricky and Kathy Packard, applied to the City for a grant to create a fenced community garden.  In 1995, Anne-Marie Uebbing, Director of the NJ Department of Housing, Economic Development & Commerce granted the lot to the community on permanent charter, from which time it has become an integral part of Fisk Park.  Local residents Claire Archer and Allison Fontana then joined the two founders, and Allison worked in both the community garden and the park under the Public Works Department. Allison now lives between Pennsylvania and Jersey City, and along with locals Pamela Windo and Janet Harris, continues to manage the garden.

The original mission of the community garden was 1) to give plots to members of the local community without backyards, and 2) to give children who otherwise have no access to a garden the experience of growing plants and flowers.

There are 30 plots in the adults’ garden and four plots in the children’s garden, for families or local pre-schools. Adult plots vary in size: beginners start in smaller ones, experienced gardeners take the larger ones. Apart from maintaining their individual plot, garden members are required to sign up for various seasonal jobs in the common parts, i.e., grass mowing, pruning, watering and weeding common plots, creating walkways and fencing, organizing garbage and composting. The garden rules follow those for all community gardens and are given to each member at sign up.

The community garden opens in the first week of April (or earlier if weather permits) with a CLEAN UP DAY at which old and new members apply for a plot. The yearly membership fee, which includes a key, is $10. The season ends at the end of October (again, depending on weather) with another CLEAN UP DAY. Though many of the plots remain with the same members each year, there are always openings as members move away from the area. To apply for a plot, or to contribute items to the garden, i.e. plants or tools, call: Pamela Windo at 201-610-9665, e-mail: p_windo@comcast.net.