Green thumbs and park fans rejoice as deal to buy O.C. community garden falls into place

Fourteen years ago, a group of volunteers began the transformation of an empty lot in the Orange County neighborhood of South Laguna into what has become a beloved spot for gardening enthusiasts and residents alike. “This is the moment we’ve been waiting for for 14 years,” Ann Christoph, project director of the garden park, said at the Laguna Beach City Council meeting on Tuesday. The panel has made that commitment for several years, with the contingency that the South Laguna Community Garden Park organization raise the balance of the negotiated purchase price. The Laguna Beach Community Foundation has partnered with the South Laguna Community Garden Park organization to help close the deal. “I think it’s great for them, and I really hope they’re able to close the escrow and make it real.” Gardeners and local residents meet at the South Laguna Community Garden Park on Thursday.