For quite some time I've been looking at all our urban and Xurban land as farmland, for growing food. One farm I find especially exciting is the Free Stamp [1] Park, which features several acres of mowed grass at East 9th Street and Lakefront, next to city hall. From the expansive and underdeveloped Group Plan [2], there are many other acres of city owned and mowed grass and landscaped land right around there, costing taxpayers lots of money each year, and having little real "green" value beyond decoration. And, there are many people in shelters that society must feed each day, near there. And there are many more hungry people in poverty in homes around there, who eat poorly. And that is expensive to taxpayers, and society. But land may grow food, if people work the land to produce it. That would give homeless and poor people access to income and food, while reducing many costs to taxpayers and society. Wouldn't that be an interesting use of this land... and a far more beautiful and exciting setting for the Free Stamp, so important to our community.
