Gateway Greening volunteer Cathy Viehman of Affton, left, helps build a new community garden at the Grant’s View Branch County Library. The Grant’s View garden, where all 28 beds are reserved for the 2016 growing season, is the latest edition of the St. Louis County Library’s popular community gardening program and the only one that will be open this year, since the other gardens are at the currently closed Cliff Cave and Prairie Commons branches.

Garden volunteers gathered at the Grant’s View Branch May 14 for Gateway Greening’s largest-ever garden installation. The volunteers constructed 24 4’x12′ raised beds and four easily accessible raised beds for individuals with disabilities. The garden area was already equipped with a waterline and a sidewalk, and a tool shed will be added at a later date. Aetna is the corporate sponsor of the Grant’s View community garden.

With all Grant’s View’s garden beds reserved for this year before the garden was even built, a waiting list has begun for next year.

Similar to the library’s other community gardens, the Grant’s View garden will offer programming and educational opportunities. Plans for an adjacent children’s garden are still in progress.

SLCL’s partnership with Gateway Greening began in 2012, creating the first library community garden at the Prairie Commons Branch. The program was so successful that a second garden was installed at the Cliff Cave Branch in Oakville in 2013, with garden expansions at both locations. The Grant’s View Community Garden is the third collaboration between Gateway Greening and SLCL. The project will be the largest garden installation ever undertaken by Gateway Greening.

The Grant’s View Branch is located at 9700 Musick Road, directly across from Grant’s Farm.