Gateway to Gardening Pavilion

Football Field to Garden

When Muncie Public Library (MPL) purchased the site of the old Wilson Middle School for the new Maring-Hunt library, the property also included the former football field. After the opening of Maring-Hunt Library in 2002, MPL administration wanted to put the green area to use for the community and so decided to turn it into a garden space in the hope that it would become a place for residents to gather and foster a sense of community within the neighborhood. These plans came to fruition in 2003. Ball State architectural students helped plan the area by offering the library three dimensional models to choose from. Staff, students, BSU students and faculty, people from the neighborhood, and master gardeners helped prepare the area. 

Expansion

Although it didn’t look like much that first year, the community garden, or the Gateway to Gardening Pavilion, has continued to grow and expand in the 20+ years that it has been offered to area residents through various partnerships with Ball State University, Southside High School, National Wildlife Federation, Pheasants Forever, AmeriCorps, TeenWorks, East Central Solid Waste District, 8twelve Coalition, Lowes Community Grants, Habitat for Humanity, the Thomas Park Avondale Neighborhood Association, the Urban Gardening Coalition, the Sherman and Marjorie Zeigler Foundation, and others. Additions that have been added over this time span are more plots, a shed, a kitchen pavilion, a learning/marketing pavilion, a reading nook, nature play pockets, a sand play pocket, a bio-swale with native Indiana plants, and a health track. It not only provides a way to address food insecurity in that area of the community, but also it encourages interaction within the neighborhood while providing learning opportunities for adults and children. In 2023, Red-Tail Conservancy named the Gateway to Gardening Pavilion at Maring-Hunt Library a Growing Home Certified Habitat. 

Sources

“Briefly: Library Community Garden to Celebrate New Pavilion.” (04-26-2017). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library. 

“Habitat to Share Info on Neighborhood Project.” (09-23-2017). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library. 

Kinsey, Michelle. “Southside Students Build Shed for Community Garden.” (05-19-2011). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library. 

“Library Creating Learning Environment.” (06-12-2007). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library. Muncie Public Library.

“Library Plots to Grow Vegetables, Flowers.” (06-05-2004). Star Press. Carnegie Library. 

“‘Maring-Hunt Community Garden Project’ by professor Pam Harwood and fourth-year architecture students.” (04-06-2017). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library. 

Minutes, Muncie Public Library Board: 2003. MPL Archives. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Ohlenkamp, Corey. “8twelve Expands As Community Dreams.” (08-26-2018). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library. 

Slabaugh, Seth. “Football Field Becomes a Garden.” (06-02-2003). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library. 

Slabaugh, Seth. “How Does Your Garden Grow?” (07-31-2011). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library. 

Slabaugh, Seth. “Into the Wild.” (08-06-2008). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library. 

Slabaugh, Seth. “Neighborhoods Win $250,000 Grant from Lowe’s.” (09-28-2017). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library. 

“Walking Track to Open at Maring-Hunt Library.” (08-19-2022). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

West, Jenny. “Library Plots to Grow Vegetables, Flowers.” (06-05-2004). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.