Lamar to break ground on South Park Community Garden

The South Park Community Garden groundbreaking will be held on October 8 at 8 a,m,
The South Park Community Garden groundbreaking will be held on October 8 at 8 a,m, | File photo
Lamar University's groundbreaking ceremony for South Park Community Garden, an initiative created through the collaboration of the Greater South Park Neighborhoods and the university, will be Oct. 8 from 8 a.m. until noon on the corner of Jimmy Simmons Boulevard and Vermont Street.

“Lamar University is pleased to offer this resource to the students and community,” Lamar University Director of Sustainability Alicen Flosi said. “For the last few years, we’ve had our own garden on campus, but now we can bring that effort into the community and expand it.”

The project will be under the management of Lamar University, the city of Beaumont and the Lamar Institute of Technology.

“Beaumont has one of the highest rates of obesity in the United States and is the highest rate in Texas,” South East Food Bank agency relation specialist Audine Rathburn said. “Creating a garden allows families to produce healthy foods at no cost. They can take the knowledge learned from gardening in a community setting and help lower their food costs. It also is a family activity and a skill that can be passed on to younger generations and begin to break the cycle of poverty.”