Vacant Lot: Garden or Dog Park

The task

A vacant lot in your neighbourhood has been donated to the city. The parks department is asking nearby residents to choose how the land should be used. Choose the option you prefer and explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150-200 words. Option A: Create a community garden with raised beds that residents can rent for a small fee each season. Option B: Create a fenced off-leash dog park with benches, shade trees and a water fountain.

• Choose Option A or Option B.
• Explain the reasons for your choice with details and examples.

Length

150–200 words

Time

26 minutes

Question

5 of 15

I would choose Option A, the community garden, because it would bring together a wider range of neighbours than a dog park could. The first advantage is that a garden welcomes people of every age. Retired residents could grow tomatoes and beans, children from the nearby elementary school could learn how food is produced, and families in apartments without balconies would finally have some outdoor space of their own. In my building alone, at least six households have told me they would rent a bed immediately. The second advantage is the long-term value to the area. A well-kept garden makes a street look cared for, and the harvest could even be shared with the local food bank in late summer. Because residents pay a small seasonal fee, the city would also recover part of the cost of water and maintenance. I appreciate that dog owners need a safe place for their pets to run. However, there is already a large park with an off-leash zone about fifteen minutes' walk away, while there is no garden space anywhere nearby. For these reasons, I strongly support Option A.

Why this answer works

• It gives three distinct groups who would use the garden, showing range and specific detail.
• The point about the seasonal fee recovering costs shows awareness of the city's practical concerns.
• It addresses dog owners respectfully and counters with a concrete fact about the nearby off-leash zone.