I recently ran across Emma Staniels’ article about the Southside Park Community Garden, published back in November 2008. I am excited to see the community garden flourish, and the positive impact it has had on the neighborhood. It is important to recall that this garden was won in court as a “replacement” of the Mandella Community Garden. The article made me realize that 5 years has passed since Midtown lost the Mandella Community Garden – many who live here now have never seen or heard of the place that was once a vibrant center of Midtown activity. And so I believe a historical account is in order. I was a board member during the last painful months of our legal battle to save the garde