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By Jon Tatting
editor.countynews@ecm-inc.com
Want a vegetable or flower garden but don’t have the yard space? New to gardening and want to learn aside a professional? Interested in gardening in a community environment?
Then consider what the Cambridge area will soon have to offer with two community gardens planned for this season.
The Cambridge City Council on May 4 received an update on city and country-based community gardens from Gary Steffenson, coordinator of the Isanti County Master Gardener program, Master Gardener John Nordin and Dana Rima of the Isanti County Environmental Coalition.
These groups, with the city, are offering the city community garden, located west of the county government center near the intersection of 18th Avenue SW and East Rum River Drive.
Currently under development, the garden will start with 20 plots available for planting by June 1. Hand garden tools and water hoses will be available.
Meanwhile, the country community garden, located near Skogman Lake at Vickers Street NE and 331st Avenue NE, is provided by New Hope Community Church. With 114 plots available, they are ready now for early planting at the future site of New Hope church.
Seasonal rental costs are $15 (mainly a commitment fee) for a 100-square foot plot, while other sizes are also available. Water for plants will be available at each site.
“I think this will be popular,” said Mayor Marlys Palmer, as community gardens are becoming popular across Minnesota.
Community Development Director Dave Carlberg noted the gardens are works in progress and have already received support from the Army National Guard by providing a 400-gallon water buffalo for storing water. The city has yet to determine whether it will charge for water or wait a year to see how much water is used.
For more information on the city community garden, call the Extension Office at 763-689-1810 or go to the University of Minnesota Extension Office at the government center to register.
For more on the country-based garden by New Hope, call Duane Strike at 612-345-0224 or visit the New Hope office at 370 South Main in Cambridge.
An introductory meeting will be held at the Extension Office in the government center at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 12.
WiFi Hotspots in Cambridge?
Also during its work session this week, the council discussed an inquiry from area-based Genesis Wireless regarding a city-wide wireless broadband network and municipal WiFi Hotspots for the city of Cambridge.
To accomplish this, Genesis Wireless proposes to enter into an agreement with the city for antenna lease space on the older blue water located near the former state hospital grounds, west of the Isanti County Government Center.
In exchange for lease consideration, Genesis would provide—at no charge—the following:
• High speed broadband Internet access and VPN connections for the city and its remote sites.
• Three WiFi Hotspots at mutually agreed sites within the city. While these Hotspots can benefit emergency location-based information and most new cell phones are WiFi capable, WiFi may also stimulate business in the downtown area.
Genesis also says it would provide the Internet feed for these devices at no charge to the city. More WiFi sites can be added as needed, and enough sites could provide mobility to city vehicles—a benefit to those equipped with GPS technology.
• City Web site and handle all email services, which could save the city money over existing services.
“I think it could be a real benefit,” presented Public Works Director Steve Wegwerth.
The council expects to revisit the issue at a future meeting.
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