Cornelius Community Garden Closes

By Dave Vieser–The Cornelius Community Garden, located on the south side of Catawba Avenue just east of Highway 21, will be closed for the remainder of 2026. The garden is expected to reopen in 2027.

“Our town staff met with the Smithville Community Coalition (SCC), which manages the garden,” said Assistant Town Manager Tyler Beardsley. “We all determined at that time that for the safety of gardeners, the garden should be closed this year while construction work is happening near the driveway.”

The construction includes two new roundabouts near the Catawba/Highway 21 intersection and additional lanes for eastbound traffic on Catawba Avenue, directly in front of the garden entrance.

Plans call for the garden to reopen next year at the same location. Long-term plans propose relocating it to a new site.

“As part of the Smithville Community Coalition’s revitalization plan, the garden is proposed to move further into the neighborhood near Vivian Lane,” Beardsley said.

Vivian Lane is a residential street about a block south of Catawba Avenue.

Garden history

The community garden was established in 2013 through a partnership between the Smithville Community Coalition and Cornelius town officials.

At the time, Lisa Mayhew Jones, SCC executive director, said the goal was “to establish a place where the community could come together, communicate and grow various crops, just as our residents in Cornelius and Smithville did decades ago.”

Participants say the garden has achieved that goal. One of the most active is John Slee, 86, a retired engineer with Mobil Oil Corp.

“Back in 2014, we first learned about the concept of the community garden,” Slee said. “I immediately bought a plot and told some of my friends. Altogether, we ended up with six plots.”

Slee focuses on growing vegetables including cucumbers, green beans, cauliflower and Swiss chard. “Swiss chard is a leafy green vegetable from the same family as beets and spinach,” he said. “Despite the name, it did not originate in Switzerland but in the Mediterranean region.” He also enjoys growing new potatoes.

Much of the garden’s produce is distributed to community groups and senior center programs.

“John and his fellow gardeners are well known around Cornelius for their wonderful fresh products,” said Christy Gepert Tyson, owner of Beyond Balanced Solutions on Highway 21. “It’s always a pleasure when we see him coming into our classes with a bag full of the freshest vegetables one could imagine.”

Distributing produce to the community was a central goal when the garden was launched.

“It’s a very rewarding experience and, quite frankly, brings us closer to God,” Slee said.