April 13, 2010 (SEATTLE, WA)—Seattle Department of Neighborhoods invites you to celebrate Earth Day this year by saying goodbye to another parking lot and hello to Capitol Hill’s newest P-Patch community garden, “Unpaving Paradise.”  Saturday, April 17 at 2 p.m., marks the groundbreaking celebration, when the Unpaving Paradise Committee begins construction at the corner of E. John St. and Summit Ave E.

As a part of the event, attendees will enjoy light refreshments and entertainment by community members, including hula-hooping, dancing, and poi spinning. To give the lot one last face lift, everyone is invited to decorate the vacant concrete canvas with artwork, made possible by provided chalk and spray paint from the Unpaving Paradise Committee. The new P-patch is supported by $150,000 from the 2008 Parks and Green Spaces Levy. To hear more about the progress at Unpaving Paradise, visit http://unpavingparadise.blogspot.com.

Seattle Department of Neighborhoods’ P-Patch Community Garden Program provides garden plots for over 2,000 residents in the greater Seattle area, as well as initiatives in market gardening, youth gardening, and community food security.  While demand for P-Patch community gardening space continues to grow, the P-Patch program is taking great steps to expand upon the current locations and add new gardens, thanks to $2 million from the 2008 Levy. 

Seattle Department of Neighborhoods provides programs and service that engage residents in civic participation, foster stronger communities, make government more accessible, and preserve and enhance the character of Seattle’s neighborhoods.