This month, immigrant and refugee youth from the GAP School’s Youthbuild program removed exotic species and planted native shrubs and trees in the Woodland Garden at Swede Hollow Park at 665 Greenbrier St. Immigrant youth working with Urban Roots then planted native low-growing plants such as Jack-in-the Pulpit and Large Flowered Trillium. Located on the site of the old Hamm Mansion at 665 Greenbrier St, which was lost to fire years ago, the garden honors the native and immigrant communities who called Swede Hollow home along the creek below the garden site.
The best community-led park projects leverage partnerships to increase the impact tenfold. Watch the video to learn how projects like this lead to sustainable careers and community building among our city’s immigrant teens.
The enhanced garden is growing rapidly with this month’s rainfall and is easy to navigate with new aggregate paths. Signage and public art will be the next elements in the garden. Come out to Swede Hollow Park to stroll through this naturalistic garden and learn some history! Funding for the project was provided by the McNeely Foundation and the Hardenbergh Foundation.