PRESS RELEASE: Wilmington City Council Passes Resolution Urging Restoration of Rodney Reservoir Community Garden
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Wilmington City Council Passes Resolution Urging Restoration of Rodney Reservoir Community Garden
Wilmington, DE — Wilmington City Council took a significant step toward strengthening neighborhood connections and expanding access to fresh food by passing a resolution on Thursday, February 5, 2026, urging the City of Wilmington to restore the Rodney Reservoir Community Garden. The resolution is sponsored by Council Member Christian Willauer and co-sponsored by Council Members Coby Owens (1st District), Shané Darby (2nd District), Chris Johnson (7th District), Alexander D. Hackett (At-Large), James Spadola (At-Large), and City Council President Trippi Congo.
The measure calls on the City’s Administration and Department of Parks and Recreation to rebuild all 62 community garden plots included in the approved design for the Rodney Reservoir Park and to complete construction of the remaining 42 beds in time for the 2026 gardening season. Council also encourages continued collaboration with residents and community partners to support long-term garden operations.
“I’m grateful for City Council’s support for rebuilding all 62 garden plots at the Rodney Reservoir. This is the first-ever community garden in a city park. Residents have even offered to help rebuild the garden plots, which really shows the power of community. Working together, we can give more people the chance to grow their own food,” said Council Member Christian Willauer.
The Rodney Reservoir Community Garden has long served as a vital neighborhood hub on Wilmington’s West Side. In 2010, a coalition of local organizations and more than 300 community members worked together to secure permission to build a community garden on the lower portion of the reservoir. By 2012, 61 garden beds had been constructed. For 14 years, the garden was managed by Cornerstone West Community Development Corporation in partnership with dedicated volunteers through its West Side Grows Together initiative.
The garden provided residents, particularly those without access to yards or adequate sunlight, the opportunity to grow fresh produce, connect with neighbors, and participate in mutual aid. It also supported food-sharing programs like the Free Farm Stand and donations to local food pantries, as well as educational initiatives including the Lewis Dual Language Elementary Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids program, Bright Spot Farms, the Cool Spring Farmers Market, and Wilmington’s first urban apiary.
The Wilmington 2028 Comprehensive Plan recognizes that strong social connections are essential to healthy neighborhoods and highlights community gardens as important sources of locally grown food and neighborhood cohesion. The Rodney Reservoir garden exemplified this vision, with all plots assigned and more than 100 active gardeners involved until the site was temporarily closed in Spring 2024 to make way for construction of the new Rodney Reservoir Park.
Since then, community members have remained engaged, helping shape the vision for a nature- and community-focused park that includes a restored garden. While 20 of the planned 62 beds have been constructed, more than 125 residents have already expressed interest in securing a plot, demonstrating overwhelming demand and the need to complete the remaining beds.
With the passage of this resolution, Wilmington City Council affirms that the Rodney Reservoir Community Garden and Park are essential neighborhood assets and urges the Administration to complete construction of the remaining beds so residents can return to growing food, building community, and sharing resources in 2026.
Council Members Willauer and Owens emphasized that restoring the full garden will not only expand access to fresh, healthy food but also strengthen neighborhood ties and community pride for years to come.
To read Resolution 26-009, visit the link https://www.wilmingtoncitycouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Res.-26-009-0178-A-Resolution-Urging-the-City-of-Wilmington-to-Restore-the-Rodney-Reservoir-Community-Garden-cw.pdf
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MEDIA CONTACT:Yesenia TaverasDirector of Communications, Wilmington City CouncilOffice: (302)576-2585
Mobile: (302)757-5748Email: ytaveras@wilmingtonde.govCity Council Website: www.wilmingtoncitycouncil.com