In addition to the highly successful Vénkert Community Garden, Debrecen was enriched with a new addition: the Újkert Community Garden was handed over on September 12, 2022.
Deputy mayor Ákos Balázs first greeted the future owners of the community garden, the gardeners. As he said, the city management wants to develop Debrecen in a green way. In the spirit of this, the Green City Program was launched, and in the spirit of this, the first community garden was created in Vénkert in 2020, which won the title of the most beautiful kitchen garden of the year in 2021. – This garden sets an example, a kind of good practice, which we are trying to introduce this year at two additional locations, the Újkert and the Tócóskert – stressed Ákos Balázs.
Újkert underwent a significant renewal last year thanks to the Green City Program. More than 10,000 square meters of lawn area were renewed in this block, which houses the new community garden, new rows of shrubs were created, the playground and the sports field were completely renewed, and new rest benches and a drinking fountain serve the residents of Debrecen. The goal is for the residents of the housing estates to be surrounded by a homely, green environment. This vision is also reinforced by this garden. Today’s handing over of the keys also means the formation of a new, green community – emphasized the deputy mayor.
The community garden has raised beds and communal spice jars. Surfaces covered with mulch were created between the raised beds, and 2 tables and 4 benches were placed on a cobblestone surface for social programs and conversations. A wooden house is used to store tools, 2 composters are available for gardeners to use the green waste from the gardens on site, and irrigation is provided by a garden faucet. The community garden was created by Dekert Kft.’s employees, to whom we are grateful. – I wish the new community successful gardening and I thank you for contributing to our green aspirations with your future work, the greening of Újkert and Debrecen! – concluded the deputy mayor’s greeting.
According to Katalin Bordásné Gyuris, a representative of one of the local government districts concerned, the people in the area were looking forward to this community garden and hoped that they could even begin sowing and planting in the fall. This small community garden serves both community building and a health-conscious, eco-conscious lifestyle.
Municipal representative György Korbeák highlighted how well the new community garden fits in with the developments implemented in this part of the city within the framework of the Green City Program. Community spaces and playgrounds have been created, soccer fields have been renovated, and together with the community garden, all of this makes Újkert an even better and more livable living environment.
The work of the gardeners of the community garden is also supported by the Green Working Group, since, like the Vénkert Community Garden, Veronika Szentpéteri-Nagy and Zoltán Váradi, members of the working group, will hold regular lectures here. Veronika Szentpéteri-Nagy emphasized that gardeners can count on her advice on issues related to plant care and plant protection, starting with sowing seeds. She also emphasized that in the case of this garden, it is not just about gardening, but about community building, which nowadays has a very, very high value.
The Vénkerti Community Garden won the title of the most beautiful kitchen garden in Hungary
Zoltán Váradi asked the gardeners of the Újkert Community Garden to look at the similar garden of the not-so-far-off Vénkert and its community as an example and to become exemplary themselves. What they can create here is really, really good stuff. With a little cooperation and a good community, you can create incredibly big things.
In addition to the members of the Green Working Group, Erzsébet Vajda, the head of the Vénkert Community Garden mentioned as an example, also offered her help: in the coming weeks, the new gardeners will be able to take a closer look at the community garden already operating there, receive methodological advice, and meet members of the two communities. In addition, gardeners can read many gardening practices on the Future of Debrecen website (www.futureofdebrecen.hu).
At the opening in Újkert, the gardeners were able to receive a packet of seeds in addition to the key to the garden. The gardeners have the right to use the garden until the end of 2023, against payment of the HUF 4,000 usage fee, this period means a garden use season. The HUF 4,000 increases the community’s coffers, this amount can be used for their common expenses, reads the announcement of the municipality.
Debrecen City Hall
Photos: János Miskolczi
