Two Coves Community Garden is located near the East River waterfront.Residents of Astoria, Queens, created a community garden from an unsightly lot located at the intersection of Astoria Boulevard and 8th Street. They cleaned up the lot, planted, farmed, and maintained the land, now known as Two Coves Community Garden [1]. According to the Queens Ledger [2], the garden is not only a source of fresh produce and a beautiful oasis, but it strengthens the community by bringing together people from all walks of life, ages, and ethnic backgrounds.
Two Coves obtained a license from New York City's Parks Department's Green Thumb [3] program, reports the Queens Gazette [4]. But now the garden's future is uncertain as the Parks Department moves ahead with plans to convert the site into a city park.
The city has been contemplating the plan for around a decade, but necessary funds were only recently allocated to the Parks Department [5] by Councilman Peter Vallone, Jr.
Members of the Two Coves Community Garden feel that their work is consistent with values expressed by First Lady Michelle Obama, who recently said: "I'm a big believer in community gardens, both because of their beauty and for their access to providing fresh fruits and vegetables to so many communities across this nation and the world."