Community park and garden protected on Lopez

A conservation easement has been granted to The San Juan Preservation Trust to protect the community park and garden known as “Sally’s Garden” in Lopez Village. Sally Bill bought the three-acre property before she died in 1999 so that she could give something back to the Lopez community she loved. The easement was transferred to the Trust by the Lopez Community Center Association to fulfill Bill’s wishes.

Sally Bill envisioned that the property would be kept substantially open and used for the Lopez farmers’ market, a community garden, and a third undefined use. With input from dozens of islanders, Bill put together a group of community members to implement her vision. What emerged was a plan to preserve open space, create a quiet community park, and showcase island agriculture through the farmers’ market and a collection of small pea patch gardens. In the future, a much-need children’s center will be established on a corner of this land.

“Sally gave the property in the spirit of her love of Lopez. She essentially said to the community, this is your land,” says Sandy Bishop, project manager. “She wanted us to use it, make it ours, and enjoy the ‘green’ within the village.”

To be sure the land is protected in perpetuity, Bill arranged for a conservation easement on the open portion of the property to be donated to The San Juan Preservation Trust. Funds given to the Trust in Bill’s memory have been used to help establish the community garden.

“The Trust is honored to participate in this wonderful project by assuring the protection of Sally’s Garden and its green space for the Lopez community in perpetuity,” said Bob Myhr, Executive Director. “We participated in a similar project for the protection of the Orcas Library Park in 1997 and look forward to future opportunities to protect community green spaces in our island villages.”