A non-profit organization is rising to the challenge of completing the San Agustín Mission Gardens, a project that was halted due to a lack of funds. The gardens, located along the west bank of the Santa Cruz River, were started in early 2000 as part of Tucson’s Rio Nuevo project.
However, the city manager put a hold on the project last May, said Peg Weber of Tucson Parks and Recreation.
Now the Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace, a non-profit organization, is working with the city to raise funding and donations to jump-start the construction, said Bill DuPont, a member of the organization.
The first step the group took was to apply for non-profit status, which they received, DuPont said.
Since then, the organization has solicited donations from about 47 people and organizations, including donated security fencing — valued at $12,000 — from Lloyd Construction, the company contracted to build the gardens, DuPont said.
The group is “trying to make sure this doesn’t die,” he said. “There’s a lot of history there that we’re trying to resurrect."
The site has been host to “culture upon culture upon culture” and is something unique to Tucson, DuPont said.
When completed, the garden will have representations of agriculture from throughout Tucson’s history, including a Spanish colonial-era garden.
