Project team

Head: Building Healthy Communities

Partners: St. Vincent Charity Hospitals, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland, the Sisters of Charity Healthy System, Tri-C Metro Campus, Councilwoman Phyllis Cleveland, Arbor Park Village

Project description and goals

The project intends to expand a model urban gardening and workforce development program. Specifically, the program leverages the potential of vacant spaces to address two inner city needs: a lack of fresh food access, and a lack of sustainable work development opportunities for youth. Through effective community partnerships that link the capacities of land and people with the needs of the needy, the project’s overall aim involves designing an effective and long-lasting community change process through:

• the conducting of relevant community meeting and events,
• the developing of strategies aligning resource allocation with community values,
• and the growing of human agents of change.

Concurrent with the broader community and human capacity goals the project addresses, the project also aims to carve out both the logistics and feasibility of the Cleveland’s local food market, with best practices being formed through the actual implementation of an urban ag farm.

Existing conditions

The expansion is proposed on a series of vacant lots on Cedar Ave running between E. 76th and E. 78th in Cleveland’s Central neighborhood. In total, the lots measures nearly 30,000 sq. ft..  The site is clean, has no overhead obstruction to light, and has viable soil.  The corner lot is bordered by residences and businesses, and its high visibility will serve the project’s intent to demonstrate the capability of Cleveland’s vacant spaces.

Proposed interventions

A first stage of the project is youth recruitment, and the development of an educational component that directs the action team (comprised of youth and a community chair) to the project’s objectives, as well as to the economic and marketing components involved with linking food supply and demand.  The action team(s) are then directed by a local Master Gardener who provides the technical know-how to build the garden.  Plantings will be limited to those foods actively sought in the particular community, with the thought that limiting selection leads to higher quantity and thus greater access.  That said, grown food will include greens, kale, turnips, sweet corn, pepper, cucumbers, spinach, lettuce, onion, and potatoes. Food disbursement is done through packaging, as well as through farmer’s markets. To ensure the health of the plants—and to increase the growing season—a high tunnel (i.e., unheated greenhouse) will be constructed, while on-site composting will ensure further enrichment via non-chemical means.

Site maintenance

The Garden Boyz will work throughout the growing and harvesting season to ensure the availability of the crop. Particularly, regular maintenance include mowing, weeding, watering, fertilizing, caging and repairing plants, and maintaining soil quality. All garden duties are directed by the Master Gardener, with work times scheduled as needed. Watering will be available through a nearby hydrant, and negotiations with Cleveland water to purchase output is also ongoing.