Page 66 - ALG Issue 1 2020
P. 66

 London
London
An Island Paradise – Miedzyodrze-Wyspa, Pucka Island
Joan McConn (with thanks to Penny Smith)
NAS Classifieds
I recently visited a relative in Poland and spent some time at her allotment site in Szczecin, near the northern border with Germany. It was a very interesting experience as her allotment site differed so greatly from my own! Her allotment is on an island between the River Oder (Odra) and a canal.
The river was originally the border between Poland and Germany, and the canal was part of Germany until the end of WWII. Before the war, the area was just fields and was only fenced
into allotments in the late 1970s. The allotment areas are known as RODs (Rodzinne Orgrody Dzialkowe, or Family Gardens Allotments). There are a number of RODs on the other side of the city.
This site is divided into five sectors with main roads leading to a connection with the mainland. These roads have street lighting and cars are allowed. No cars are allowed on the minor lanes within the site, which have names
like Gooseberry, Raspberry etc. Plots nearest the edge of the island also
have mooring rights! Due to the watery location, the water table is high and is managed by dams on the canal and sluice gates. People learn not to dig
too deeply, as the hole will just fill with water. Each allotment plot is 300 metres square and there are a thousand plots on the site, so the scale is enormous and needs careful management.
There is a main administration centre to support the five sectors; each
sector has a Chairperson who is paid
a nominal sum of Zl100-150 (about £20-£30), and it is their responsibility
to manage the sector on a day-to-day basis. If the Chairperson is unhappy with an unkempt plot, he can tell the owner to sell it and this is done formally with a Notary Public and government stamp duty paid. Usually the threat
is enough, although owners can take
their case to civil court to fight the sale notice. There is a committee for the whole site to handle any issues and they report to a President, who oversees all the sites in Szczecin. This is a full-time paid position as there are around 30 allotment sites in the Szczecin area.
My relative bought the lease of her
plot in 2007. Plenty of advice is given
to plotholders on what to plant, and
the state of the plots are carefully monitored. She has improved the shed, which is more like a chalet. These are quite large as they can have a maximum footprint of 30 square metres and
can be two storeys, and even have a
loft room in the pitched roof. Despite
the attraction, you cannot live in your shed for the full 12 months of the year! However, there are some old houses on the site from before the area was fenced and these are permanent residences. There is water and electricity (except during December and January) to each plot and each plot is fenced. Most plots have some type of toilet facility, although some are a bit more rudimentary than others. There is even a security guard who patrols the site and one of his functions is to check that no-one is living there during the closed period
of December and January. As always, someone has to push the boundaries of acceptable behaviour and I was told that some years ago, a local politician connected two adjoining sheds on separate plots at first floor level and built an additional floor, creating an allotment mansion – and an obvious contender for Shed of the Year. He was taken to court but, not surprisingly, won the case!
As the site is so large, they employ staff for maintenance as well as a security guard. The social side of the site is very community based. There is an annual garden party, regular BBQs with fast
Compost/Feeds
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For offers on tools, equipment and protection scan the QR code to view the NAS Member Offers Booklet.
Plants
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SCAN ME!
There is even a security guard who patrols the site and one of his functions is to check that no-one is living there during the closed period
food vans, and activities for the children as well as fun competitions. Sometimes there is music and dancing. The annual rent for all this is Zl300 (£60) plus the cost of metered water and electricity. This might seem a bargain but there is a very long waiting list, possibly because when a plotholder dies, their plot can be passed on to their spouse or child. There is a restaurant bordering the site called KGB!
I apologise if there are any interpreting errors.
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unique garden tools which really make a difference . . .
www.blackberrylane.co.uk - order online Tel. 07792 592068 for catalogue 66 Allotment and Leisure Gardener





















































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