07/22/2019
To see a world you otherwise could not see...
Hello friends -
Part of the magic of Please Touch Garden is that as it has invited and explored new intersections, it has reimagined what is possible at the physical and figurative edges of our society. And sometimes those edges bring difficult challenges and circumstances.
The city-owned building that borders the garden space to the east has suffered structural damage, creating a possibility for roof collapse that could send the entire border wall violently tumbling into the garden. The Department of Building Inspection has “red-tagged” the garden space, and public access is no longer permitted. We have had conversations with a number of government representatives - while their desire to help has been sincere, the physics of the situation are sadly uncompromising.
But while regular access to the garden has been curtailed, the goal of dispersing the garden resources to appropriate community locations is accelerating! We have been able to arrange for a special opportunity on Sunday, August 18th to remove plants, trees, soil, paving stones, and any other items in Please Touch Garden. We invite you to share this message:
Please Touch Garden is hosting a Resource Gifting Garden Party!
Sunday, August 18th - from noon until 5P
Dr. Tom Waddell Place (between Polk and Van Ness, parallel to Grove)
All sorts of plants, soil, permeable paving stones, and other garden resources to be given away!
Limited tools available for use - please bring your own, and provide your own transportation
Everything is free for individuals and nonprofits - sorry, nothing for commercial businesses.
Questions? Send a message at this contact page
We hope you will all help us embrace this opportunity to spread the garden and its love to other projects and locations in the Bay Area. In fact, some of the garden has already made its way to the new home of our fiscal sponsor, Intersection for the Arts! Please visit the sidewalk alcove at 1446 Market Street (pictured below) to see some familiar plants growing in Please Touch Garden soil, and to see some of the relocated Habitiles that artist Aurora Mahassine created with Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired almost a decade ago! Learn more about Aurora’s work at habitile.com
We are looking forward to learning the outcome of the Reinventing Cities design competition, and the winner’s vision for the future of the garden space. In the meantime, we will continue to explore the edges and intersections of our communities and urban spaces. Thank you to all who have contributed to the success of Please Touch Garden - an 18-month interim use project that is now entering its tenth year...the journey continues!
With gratitude,
GK Callahan & Rob Joyce
