Did you know that the Center School property in Hopkinton spans over 11 acres? And that it is getting harder to find new jobs in our wonderful town? A community garden is the solution to both of these problems. Center School has an enormous plot of land, and some of it could be used for a community garden. A community garden could be utilized to bring the community of Hopkinton together and unite town spirit. Lastly, growing crops would be a way for any Hopkinton resident to earn additional money to provide for their families.

A community garden will be superb for Hopkinton as a use for some land of the Center School. Center School was opened in 1928 and closed in 2018. It has been closed for eight years, according to the Hopkinton Independent. The Select Board of our town has been thinking about how to reuse the land for years. They need a cheap but useful new way to use the plot of land, which is 11.7 acres and has been in retirement for too long. They are planning for other things, but they don’t need all 11.7 acres, and 2 acres could be used for a community garden. Being in the downtown area, it would be close to the hub of Hopkinton.

Hopkinton is in the Metrowest area of Boston and is home to over 19,358 people, according to Census Reporter. The town of Hopkinton is enormous, and the people there are widespread over 28 square miles. Something like a community garden to bring people together is a wonderful way to unite the town.

Because of inflation and the economy, thousands of people are being laid off from their jobs and are struggling to find new ones. We have a wonderful farmer’s market where those people could sell the crops that they grow in the 2 acres of the community garden. Other ways to make money if you are not interested in growing are selling seeds to other gardeners or being paid to pull weeds. And this will earn revenue for the town when gardeners rent a slice of land to grow their crops on. Finally, a community garden will be less expensive to build than a new building on the land.

And that is why I believe Hopkinton needs a community garden.

— Jolene Marcello, Hopkinton (age 12)

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