Background
The Og-Woi People’s Orchard and Garden is a stunning public orchard along the Jordan river. Over the past three years, dozens of fruit trees and vegetables have been planted and are maintained that are free for the public to harvest.
The Og-woi has also become a place where people have honored local activists who have died: Margarita Satini, for whom the memorial mural and flower garden was created and Hali Vanderburg, for whom the Hali Vanderburg Memorial Pollinator Garden was built.
UPDATE, MAY 8, 2023: Salt Lake City Department of Public Lands ordered the garden to be REMOVED via a letter on March 21, 2023. The items below included actions taken to lift the eviction. During the next month, the Og-woi Collective (the Collective) was able to gather the support of several hundred people and create an alliance with Wasatch Community Gardens (WCG). The City is requiring the Collective to work with WCG through the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Process to formalize the garden to meet the city standards for community gardens. WCG has made it publicly known that it has no desire to take over the Og-woi or change its model of community gardening. The agreement entered into is a temporary one to help the Collective get through the CIP process. The order to evict was lifted on April 21, 2023 and a community engagement process is currently underway. The Collective wishes to thank everyone for their continuing support through this process as we continue to build the Og-woi into a community garden for the people, by the people.
Why the City Wanted the Og-woi removed: Q & A
How you can help (There are many ways!):
Read what people are saying about the Og-woi
PANDOS Letter of Support for the Og-woi
Download the flyers below for posting and distributing:
Support the Og-woi Flyer (New, May 8, 2023)
Save the Og-woi Flyers
Attend the Salt Lake City Council Meetings
Please continue to let members of the Salt Lake City Council know the importance of community-based gardens and to find ways to make forming and maintaining these gardens easier for people to make a difference in their local communities.
PUBLIC COMMENT, April 4 and April 18, 2023:
7 P.M. FORMAL MEETINGS
The Council takes action and listens to comments from the public in person and via Zoom during Formal Meetings.
For meetings at the City and County Building,, registration is required for those who would like to speak. The log in information will be posted at least 24 hours prior to the meeting here: https://www.slc.gov/council/virtual-meetings/ (You may need to download the Webex or Zoom app.). Whether you are able to attend in person or virtually, please show up in support and consider providing comments!
Please note, registration is required to make a comment. Registration opens after the meeting agenda is published (at least 24 hours before the meeting starts). Click on the “Register to speak/Join meeting” link below.
View instructions on how to register and what to expect during the meeting
Send a letter to the Salt Lake City Council Members and the Mayor
Download, personalize and send this letter to City Council members. Please customize the letter copy and paste it into your email or another document. Please cc the mayor in your communication. (NOTE: See the update at the beginning of this page to help customize the letter.)
View the letter in pdf form in your browser, by clicking the image below.
All of the contact information is as follows:
| Victoria Petro | District 1 | victoria.petro@slcgov.com | 801.535.7723 |
| Alejandro Puy | District 2 | alejandro.puy@slcgov.com | 801.535.7781 |
| Chris Wharton | District 3 | chris.wharton@slcgov.com | 801.535.7726 |
| Ana Valderamos | District 4 | ana.valdemoros@slcgov.com | 801.535.7782 |
| Darin Mano | District 5 | darin.mano@slcgov.com | 801.535.7786 |
| Dan Dugan | District 6 | dan.dugan@slcgov.com | 801.535.7784 |
| Amy Fowler | District 7 | amy.fowler@slcgov.com | 801.535.7715 |
| Mayor Erin Mendenhall | Citywide | erin.mendenhall@slcgov.com | 801.535.7704 | Mayor@slcgov.com |
| Public Comment – City Council | 24-Hour Comment Line | council.comments@slcgov.com | : 801.535.7654 |
Og-woi People's Orchard and Garden 