One small step for the Mall; one giant leap for the community.
As you probably know, most of Sunnyside Mall is encompassed within the Graceland-Wilson Neighbors boundaries. One of the things we’d like to do as we rouse this block club from its slumber is to reinvigorate Sunnyside Mall. We plan to make it the centerpiece of the neighborhood rather than just the pass-through that it has become for many.
Once upon a time, the Mall had better groomed gardens and ample people to care for it. But, over time, these guardians dwindled and the maintenance became difficult to manage. One of the first steps we wanted to take as a block club was to give some of those planters a spit shine.
We were delighted to receive a very generous donation of plants and shrubberies from Christy Webber of Christy Webber Landscapes. I wasn’t involved in the transaction myself, but I hear it went down something like this:
With Christy’s gift in hand, a small group of us spent a bit of time last Saturday planting and mulching. It’s like night and day right now… but it should really pop next Spring.
Thanks again to Christy for the gift and to Katherine, Ron, Lyn Sue, Ken and Tom for getting their hands dirty. Also, special thanks to Tom for being the sole waterer at the Mall for many years previous to this. We hope this is just the beginning of many great things to come.
And now, pics to prove it happened:
Water, water, water!
Love it and love seeing all the digging going on! I know that the parkway or tree lawn as some call it was as hard as concrete so my hat is off to those that dug and dug to make this happen.
It’s simple to give… but you all did the hard part, planting them!
Makes me smile to know that the plants went to a group that really needed them and that you all really appreciated it.
Christy
Many thanks to all of you for your hard work and generosity. The mall is lovely and can be more so. Special thanks to Tom for everything you’ve done over the years.
Looks great!
I used to volunteer many days planting on the mall when I lived right down the street. I’m glad to see new people are bringing new life to the mall. Nice work.
And I can vouch for all the hard work Tom has done over the years-that man is a dedicated hero in the hood!
I had tried planting some plant in a bed at the end of Malden on Sunnyside and it went fairly well for most of the summer but a few weeks ago everything was beaten to the ground and ripped out. I suspect some of the local children who seem to enjoy destroying plants with stick and in this case a busted chair arm, and, of course, there is never any parental supervision (even though gang shootings are not uncommon in the area).
I am confident much will reappear in the spring and on November 1 I plan to plant a bunch of spring blooming bulbs in the same bed.
I wonder what you all think of having some “kids” lots to encourage the local kids to take part and appreciate a pleasant park for all of us to enjoy?
Glad to see these plantings and perhaps next spring we can get a group of neighbors adopting lots to care for and encouraging kids to take part!
🙂
@Tim —
We we’re really hoping to get some local kids involved with this most recent effort, but it didn’t pan out. We did have a chance to talk to a few kids and and hope we can pull some of them in this spring.
Thanks for the guerrilla gardening you’re doing out there. I agree that a concerted effort by the community to adopt/care for the mall would be excellent. And, the more we can pull in the local kids the better.
@ Everyone —
When we get closer to the spring, we’ll post here (click the “subscribe” button on the right of the page) and on the GWNA facebook page about further planting adventures — so please look out for that; we’d love to have all of you involved in the master plan. Thanks!
Subscribed!
I’ll be planting some bulbs this morning. 150 spring blooming bulbs in the small bed I tended this summer. Hoping to make 2011 a bit brighter. The bed is the first little bed on the east side of Malden by the park bench).
Over on Clarendon (just south of Wilson) has a designated “kids planting area”. I think it would be wonderful to have a similar place in spring 2011.
3 cheers to Tim! 150 bulbs! You are a god. Many thanks. We will all enjoy the spring more now.