A vacant lot in Anchorage’s Fairview neighborhood has been transformed into a new community space where residents can grow fresh food and connect with their neighbors.
Perseverance Community Garden celebrated its grand opening, with Mayor Suzanne LaFrance joining community members to mark the completion of a project that has been six years in the making.
The garden comes after Fairview lost its longtime Carrs grocery store, which served the neighborhood since the 1950s. The store closed after the company said the location was no longer meeting financial expectations. The building now sits empty, boarded up, and surrounded by fencing.
Fairview Community Council President Allen Kemplen explained that the garden has become even more important after the neighborhood lost its grocery store.
“We’ve always felt that community gardens are important, but it became even more important with the closure of Carrs. Now we lose our local grocery store—they become a food desert.”
The garden is now home to a variety of crops, including lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries, beans, and other produce. Residents say it is helping bring fresh food closer to home while giving neighbors a place to work together.
Max Powers shared how the garden is already making an impact.
“This gives produce to people who are not able to get it so quickly. And for a little bit of effort, you can get massive amounts of wonderful produce out of it.”
Organizers say the garden is also helping residents learn new skills and become more involved in growing their own food.
“It’s already been beneficial in that people are learning to grow their own food,” Karen Gonne explained.
For some neighbors, the garden provides more than just a place to plant crops. Jen Crosby described it as a space to relax, spend time outdoors, and connect with the community.
“To have the space to come here and grow things and dig in the dirt, I just love. It’s really good for your mental health.”
Organizers hope Perseverance Garden continues to grow alongside the Fairview neighborhood and creates more opportunities for residents in the years ahead.
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