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Parks board approves Walker Street Garden expansion to spend HUD funds
Summary
The Michigan City Parks and Recreation Board on April 16 approved an expansion of the Walker Street Park Community Garden using about $50,000 in HUD funding to add an orchard and two greenhouses, part of an effort to spend federal funds before potential federal reductions.
The Michigan City Parks and Recreation Board on April 16 approved a plan to expand the Walker Street Park Community Garden, authorizing use of about $50,000 in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds to install a small orchard and two greenhouses.
The expansion drew support from board members and the garden’s manager, who described the effort as both a response to an urgent federal funding timeline and a long-term investment in local food production. The board voted to approve the 2025 Walker Street expansion proposal by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting minutes.
Dominique Edwards, product director for the Walker Street Park Community Garden, told the board she has managed the project for five years and outlined how the garden has grown. “I am the product director for the Walker Street Park Community Garden,” she said. Edwards said the program has scaled from about 500 pounds of produce in earlier seasons to “thousands of pounds of food per season” through local partnerships and volunteer work.
Park staff told the board the city has roughly $50,000 in HUD funding designated for the garden and that officials are concerned about potential federal rollbacks. A Parks Department staff member said the concern is “use it or lose it,” prompting an expedited approach to the expansion. The plan in the meeting packet describes an orchard, two greenhouses to start seeds earlier and reduce costs, and a larger storage shed with electricity and security for events and programming; staff estimated the shed and immediate infrastructure at about $8,000–$9,000.
Edwards described ongoing partnerships the garden relies on: seed-starting support with Mark’s Farm Market, a potential 501(c)(3) Eastport Neighborhood Association that could allow the group to pursue grants and diversify revenue, and other local farmers. She also said the garden recently received recognition from the USDA’s urban agriculture program for “giving rise to a local thriving resilient food system,” and noted interest in future revenue-generating activities such as beekeeping and community trainings.
Board members praised the project’s growth and stewardship. The board discussed funding sustainability: staff said the garden’s purchases must follow city purchasing policies and that the Eastport association is not yet a 501(c)(3), so city processes remain necessary for procurement. Edwards said the garden is pursuing grant opportunities and other revenue streams to reduce reliance on city funds.
The board approved the expansion and the related expenditures as described in the packet. Staff indicated they will coordinate implementation and follow up with council members referenced in the discussion. No amendments or conditions to the motion were recorded.
Why it matters: the vote moves federal HUD funds toward on-the-ground expansion of an urban agriculture program that city staff and volunteers say has grown rapidly, but it also creates a short timeline to obligate federal money the board described as vulnerable to broader federal budget changes.
What’s next: staff said they will coordinate with elected officials and partner groups to finalize procurement, begin construction of the shed and greenhouses, and pursue additional nonprofit and grant support to sustain ongoing operations.
