Greenbelt garden removed

Landscape architect John Tikotsky

Hermosa Beach cut the ribbon on a new Community Center garden last week, just a few days after a city backhoe removed a privately maintained garden across the street on the city Greenbelt.

The Community Center garden replaces 2,000 square feet of the block long lawn that covers the north and east grounds of the former junior high school.

Celebrating the completion of the Hermosa Beach Community Centers new native plant garden last Wednesday are Surfriders Craig Cadwalder, councilman Hany Fangary, West Basins Ron Wildermuth, California Water Services Rob Olsen and Susan Cordone, Surfriders Beth Crosse, West Basin trustee Carol Kwan, mayor Pete Tucker and landscape architect John Tikotsky . Photo by Kevin Cody

The garden the city removed was planted with city permission 13 years ago by Karen Bruns, who lives in the Marine Mobile Home Park, across from the Greenbelt.

All of the Community Centers new plants are drought tolerant, California natives. Rainwater collected from the Community Center roof and gray water from the citys purple water main provide the irrigation.

Hermosa Beach Mayor Pete Tucker and West Basin Water District board member Carol Kwan.

The garden is a model for residents and represents Hermosas leadership in environmental sustainability, Mayor Pete Tucker said at last Wednesdays ribbon cutting.

The $30,000 garden was largely funded by the West Basin Water District, whose board member Michelle Kwan noted that she has reduced her water bill to $35 a month by replacing the lawns at her Manhattan Beach home with California native plants.

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Greenbelt garden removed