Save the La Jolla secret garden?

By Devon Bowman

Sophomore, La Jolla High

Ever read the book, The Secret Garden? Well in our own backyard, the La Jolla community has one of our own. The only problem is someone is threatening to take it away.

The La Jolla Community Garden located in a little alleyway to the south of Draper named Westbourne, has an abundance of fruits and vegetables. From Indian arugala to tomatoes and eggplant to strawberries — my personal favorite — this little garden has it all. The garden, run by people throughout the community, highlights the best part of our seashore town.

It appears the land it is located on is city property and therefore does not belong to the school (La Jolla High). It belongs to the city, which is really the people — right?

My principal, Dana Shelburne, doesn’t seem to think so. He wants to destroy the beautiful garden so that he can move La Jolla High’s batting cages into the area and then extend the faculty parking lot four more spaces. Ask yourself which is better: four more parking spots or a garden that everyone can benefit from or as Julie Baker puts it “Go organic ... not more pollution ... and that’s just what more parking spaces will do!!” (She wrote that on the Facebook group wall.)

Many people in the La Jolla community as well as many La Jolla High students are outraged by the thought of destroying the garden. This is evident by the number of members (699 and counting) in the Facebook Group, Save the La Jolla Community Garden.

If you’d like to help fight for our cause please call Joe LaCava at (858) 456-7900, or you can join us online in the Facebook group.