The idea
Since April 2020, we have been working together to improve our streets to make them healthier, livelier, more inclusive and welcoming spaces for everyone. Spurred by a first lockdown due to COVID-19 in Spring 2020, we started improving our mini green spaces with our own means, ad-hoc planting and clearing. We’re ready to move to the next stage to include more residents and invest in plants and materials to make our mini gardens come to life!
Initiated and led by local residents, Greening Stratford Village Neighborhood is an inclusive 6 months project which aims to:
- Bring local residents together around activities and street improvement initiatives
- Improve the streets of Stratford Village Neighborhood
This will be done by:
- Creating 2 green corners Elliot Close and Aldworth Road
- Creating 2 pocket gardens, in Tennyson Road and Mark Street
- Embedding residents in all aspects of the creation and upkeep of these spaces
What we'll deliver
- Create a community vegetable garden in Tennyson Road
- Create two green corners, with an attractive and diverse bed of plants
- Create a community orchard in Mark Street
- Install rain water gathering facilities for 2 sites
- Install signs and messaging to inform people of the project and how to get involved
- Plant 4 trees
- Plant 30 shrubs and bushes
- Plant thousands of bulbs and wildflowers
Why it's a great idea
Stratford Village Neighborhood is an extremely diverse community, including long term residents and recent arrivals, and a multitude of cultural heritage represented. A stone’s throw from the hustle of Stratford Centre, the quiet streets have deteriorated in the last decade, with increased through-traffic, regular fly-tipping, abandoned green spaces, and growing anti-social behaviour. This project is a first step in wider ambitions the residents have for the area.
This project will improve our streets and environment by:
- Clearing the rubbish which appears regularly on these sites
- Establishing a positive use of these sites
- Bringing pockets of biodiversity and wildlife
It will improve our local community’s health and wellbeing by:
- Engaging people in a common project on their doorsteps
- Enabling neighbour to neighbour encounters and co-working
- Introducing to gardening and food-growing
- Providing a source of healthy local produce of free vegetables and fruits
Steps to get it done
- June 2021: design meetings to confirm layout and draw out detailed plans for planting
- July 2021: compost delivery, beds and ground preparation, installation of water butts, trellis and signage
- August 2021: neighbourhood garden party to engage everyone in the plans and future planting sessions
- September 2021: buy plants good to plant in this season, planting session
- October 2021: buy spring bulbs and trees good to plant this season, planting session
- November 2021: final planting session, prepare plans for vegetable beds for next spring
- December 2021: evaluation of project, including laying out maintenance plan
