The green oasis - dubbed 4th East Garden at 555 S. 400 East in Salt Lake City - recently was purchased by the Community Development Corp., which builds affordable housing. But instead of adding apartments, CDC has decided to sell the community garden back to Wasatch Community Gardens for the original purchase price of $250,000.

Now, the community garden must raise the money to complete the offer by March 2008. Garden organizers staged a news conference Thursday to spread word about the fundraising effort.

In the meantime, open-space advocates may get some help from the city. Last year, the city's nascent Open Space Advisory Board included the garden on a list of applications to receive some of the $5 million that voters approved in the 2003 open-space bond. Most of that money remains available.

Gardeners at the 4th East Garden have leased the property for more than 25 years. The space now serves as a volunteer haven for community-development efforts as well as a functioning garden that provides healthy food for low-income individuals.

After the March 2007 purchase, CDC decided to allow the garden to continue for one more season. Garden lovers hope to make the green space permanent.

- Derek P. Jensen