Earth Day "Redesigned" Morganway Garden!
Shannon Carlvin
Published: April 22, 2015
On the breezy morning of April 22, 2015, Earth Day "Redesigned" took place! The Morganway Garden in Auburn Gresham recently has not been the pleasant open space it once was. However, with the presence of over 50 community partners, students, residents, a roll call by 006th district police and a motivating thought and song kick-off by our CleanSlate partner, the beginnings of a garden being transformed back into a "safe place" was underway.
The Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation (GADC) sponsored Earth Day celebration is typically a day for us to train hundreds of school students and residents on why it is important to recycle, demonstrate solar energy, demonstrate composting, and to clean up a section of the neighborhood, especially around the local breathtaking Winneconna Lagoon.
For the 2015 Earth Day event, a group of interested residents, community supporters, Illinois Sate University education staff and students, and Chicago State University interns joined the GADC to take back our community-managed open space garden. Earth Day "Redesigned" gained its title because the Greater Auburn Gresham community wanted Earth Day 2015 to be something new and refreshing. Beautifying the "Morganway Garden" on 7844 S. Morgan, once completed will allow community residents to have a place to relax and enjoy the breeze!
With all the volunteers, residents, and smiling faces, Earth Day began with a BANG!!! From planting beautiful, fragrant flowers to raking the gardened walkways, and painting benches for community residents to sit on; we all came together as a community to celebrate Earth Day "The Morganway Garden" way.
The MorganWay Community Garden and Park, is located at 7844 S. Morgan Street. It was originally brought to the community in 2009, by a generous grant from Neighbor Space to beautify our neighborhood. Click here to see the original layout of this public space.
This year students from nearby, Chicago State University and a bus from Illinois State University came to help beautify the space and also to learn environmental-friendly projects along the way.
The sun greeted us on occassion throughout the event and we appreiated all the vitamin-D we received! Earth Day was created for our world to get a break from pollution, liter, and dirt for just a few short hours.
Take a look at the slidewhos of Morganway Community Garden and Parks Redesign!
This was a great opportunity for students to contribute positively to the environment, and they expressed they would earn service & class credits, but was most proud to help us "support a community space that we feel you are so passionate about." Thanks to the ISU teacher pipeline, leadership team and students who travelled from Normal, IL today to help us lift of this space for the good of all the community.
A special thanks again to all of our partners: Ilinois State University, NeighborSpace, CleanSlate, Chicago State Univeristy, Chicago Police Department 006th District, Alderman David Moore, Neighborhood Housing Services, 78th Morgan Block Club, 79th Morgan Block Club, GADC Board of Directors, food and drinks Dunkin Donuts, Subway Mr. Sudsy, and local businesses; Subway, Sally's Liquor, SSA #32, Urban Green Team, and the entire GADC Staff!
For more information regarding the Morganway Community Garden and Park, contact Tanya Nelson or Shannon Carlvin at (773) 483-3696.