A few weeks ago, I traveled to Louisville KY for the second Reclaiming Vacant Properties conference hosted by the National Vacant Properties Campaign. It was great to see old friends and learn about new things going on in the world of vacant properties. It is things like this that have been keeping me from riding me as much as I would like but I think the tradeoff is valuable on certain levels. As my interest in vacant property repurposing evolves, community gardening is starting to become more and more central for many reasons. Food access, connections with the earth and natural systems, empowering disenfranchised residents, building relationships, and increasing knowledge about environmental issues are among these. Some interesting work is coming out of places like Detroit, Lawrence (MA) and NYC.
Detroit's Garden Resource Program Collaborative
I would be amiss if I didn't give a nod to things happening in my own backyard...
There are also great gardening things happening in Rochester and Buffalo. The Marketview Heights neighborhood in Rochester is in its second year of repurposing a vacant lot for a community vegetable and flower garden. Last year, the project was completed with a shoestring budget and countless hours of volunteer labor by neighborhood residents. The garden was an instant success and respected so much they had trouble giving food away. By the end of the summer, the gardening had expanded to nearby green spaces and this year, a total of six sites are being transformed from vacant to vibrant.
Maybe someday I'll be making an urban mountain bike trail linking vacant properties or touring a city's community gardens. Or perhaps I will follow in the footsteps of Ray's in Cleveland...
For now, I leave you with Louisville images.
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