On Wednesday, August 27, over 80 people gathered together at the beautiful Top of the City Community Garden for a celebration and goodbye to a dear friend.
After five and a half years, founder Justyna Traore is stepping down as Chairperson of the garden. During the Covid lockdown, Justyna had the seed of an idea for a community garden in the neglected greenspace at St Carthage, just across the road from her home. Over the next few years, she gathered together the people, tools and supports to transform the overgrown eyesore into the fecund, thriving community garden it is today.
Thanks to the work of volunteers, the space has bloomed into a wonderful community garden.
Mayor of Waterford Cllr Seamus Ryan attended the event and thanked Justyna and the team.
“I was up here when the garden first opened and to see the difference between now and then really shows the amount of work that has gone into it,” Mayor Ryan said.
“I am also aware that Justyna is stepping down, unfortunately, and I want to, on behalf of this city and county, thank Justyna for all her work.”
Committee member Ann Morris shared a few kind words for Justyna.
The greenhouse is home to growing vegetables and herbs.
“You guided our hands to work and to produce this little piece of heaven we can see here today,” she said. “You knew how to get things done, never taking no for an answer, you have a can-do attitude.”
Justyna thanked everyone for their work and efforts over the years.
“I feel overwhelmed, but also happy that I’m leaving the place with people who are so capable of continuing the journey that I’ve started five years ago.
The chicken coop at the end of the garden.
“It’s been five years of challenges, opportunities and the amount of people I’ve met over the past five years that showed me who I am really and gave me lessons that I will never forget.”
Justyna told the Waterford News & Star about the background of the garden and how it came together during lockdown.
She said: “We came across this place, and it was so close to my house, and then the first lockdown came, and I could not forget about it.
“I sent a proposal to the Council to transform this place into a garden.
The woodfire pizza oven was built by stonemason Christy Sheehan. Slice Wood Fire Pizza Chef John Keane cooked pizzas for everyone.
“A few years back, I was studying garden design, so I suppose I wanted to utilize the knowledge also. I wanted to use everything that I’ve learned and everything that I could create. I wanted to see what was possible.”
In the garden, there are flowerbeds, trellises, a greenhouse, a book exchange, a chicken coop and a woodfire oven. Built in 14 days by stone mason Christie Sheehan, the beautifully-crafted oven had its first firing with chef John Keane. John runs the Slice Wood Fire Pizza in Ballinakill.
In the garden, John made 45 pizzas in 30 minutes and not a slice went to waste.
Déise Men’s Shed played music and showed off their lovely, wooden wares. Friends and service users from the Brothers of Charity stopped by to show their support.
The Top of of the City Community Garden is open from 12pm-5pm every Saturday.
They can be found online at topofthecitygarden.com.
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