One of the ongoing controversies surrounding the Green Bag Road/Kingwood Pike roundabout project is that it would require the destruction of the Hastings family’s community garden. Despite the family’s efforts, it seems there will be no way to save the garden, but there is a silver lining: As a requirement for Phase I of the roundabout project, the Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization and City of Morgantown will administer $15,000 in grants to assist other community gardens in the area.
This solution does not and cannot replace the Hastings’ garden. But it strikes as best a balance as it can. We wish improvement projects — especially those that acquire property through eminent domain — would take a similar approach. We understand that sometimes a “greater” public good requires a “lesser” public good to be sacrificed. However, it’s to everyone’s benefit when the “lesser good” is somewhat restored — in this case, by supporting the same cause but in different locations.
Is it an ideal result? Probably not. But it’s more of a compromise than we usually see, and it’s one we’d like to see more often.
