As part of its ongoing “Healthy Turf. Healthy Kids.” initiative, Project EverGreen completed renovation projects on a park in New York City and a football field New Jersey.
In New York City, the organization transformed a vacant lot adjacent the Carter Burden Center for Aging into a sustainable fruit and vegetable garden and community park for the Neighbors of Vega Baja Association in East Harlem, N.Y.
The organization was assisted by New York City Parks Green Thumb agency and local landscape industry professionals—including Artisan Gardens Landscape Construction, Plant Detectives Nursery and Garden Center, and Kevin’s Tree Service.
“This new community park serves as a centerpiece for long-time residents and new urbanites to come together with pride and support for their neighborhood and one another,” said Cindy Code, Project EverGreen executive director. “Transforming this vacant lot to a green garden is essential to the social fabric of the community, and just a great respite from the noise and heat of the city.”
A community service grant from Con Edison and $12,000 in donated time and materials, including 20 tons of topsoil from Kevin’s Tree Service, supported the project. In early 2017, Project EverGreen and Artisan Gardens will return with Con Edison employee volunteers to plant new vegetable bushes.
In New Jersey, the organization restored weather-damaged turf fields for the Hazlet, N.J., Youth Athletic League. The field provides more than a thousand football players, cheerleaders, parents and coaches with a greener, safer place to play.
Natural Green Lawn Care in Bridgewater, N.J., and Hazlet-based LidoChem made the project possible with donations of time, labor and materials.
“We’re proud to partner with Project EverGreen on this initiative to restore our own hometown Hazlet Hawks youth athletic field for our kids,” said Don Pucillo, president of LidoChem. “We’re especially pleased to contribute earth-friendly and kid-safe products to produce an athletic field that is a healthy green space where our children can play sports and just be kids.”
Photo: Project EverGreen
