Check out the pics from North End PRIDE Day, 2012. There were projects all over the neighborhood including opening up the established Erin St. Community Garden, working in the up and coming Ferry St. Community Garden and general cleaning.
Because we had so many volunteers, we were able to build the amazing Alondra Hernandez Community Garden in one day! We still have more to plant, but we're well on our way to a new community space. For those who remember what 20 Portland St. looked like last year (see below for a reminder), this garden is a big change. The Mayor declared Saturday North End PRIDE Day in the City of Middletown, which was quite an honor for our residents and their hard work.
Thank you to our amazing residents, volunteers, Comcast Cares Volunteers, Macdonough School, the Young Democrats, the Republican Town Committee, Minuteman Press, Sherwin-Williams of Cromwell, Stone Depot, Home Depot, Gorilla Graphics, St John's School in Old Saybrook, Ballek's Garden Center, CT SignCenter and the City of Middletown Public Works Department for all of the help!! Comcast even gave the North End Action Team and Macdonough School a grant to help support our programs.
*History: When 20 Portland St. was condemned and taken in foreclosure, the city offered the lot for free (and they were going to give $$ to help rehab) to anyone willing to take the lot and rehab the buildings. The houses were in such bad shape that the city couldn't find any takers. They were a safety concern and were bringing down the quality of life for the people who lived around them.
The city ultimately tore down the properties and issued an RFP (Request for Proposals) for ideas with what to do with the space. NEAT submitted a proposal along with residents of Portland St. that was approved. So, NEAT now has control over the site and we built a garden this week as a partnership between NEAT and Comcast Cares Day.
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