On August 27, 2009 Mayor Sheila Dixon joined a team of 50 executives, employees of Fiskars and the Home Depot along with numerous volunteers from the Oliver Community residents, and the Environment Protect Agency’s Conference attendees to transform a vacant lot into a lush garden. The Oliver Neighborhood now boasts brightly flowering annuals and perennials, hundreds of delicious vegetables in new raised beds and majestic towering trees create a new gathering place for local residents. The garden is located at 1374 North Central Avenue at East Hoffman Street.
Mayor Sheila Dixon said, “A project such as this showcases how citizens and community stakeholders, in partnership with city government and the business community, can transform vacant lots into beautiful garden spaces. These green spaces foster neighborhood pride and provide park-like amenities that urban communities need. The private resources that Fiskars and Home Depot are providing for this project, along with the efforts of City agencies and community volunteers, will create and sustain this newest Baltimore Adopt-A-Lot space well into the future.”
The most amazing part: the entire transformation took just a single day – thanks to the efforts of a determined team. Fiskars, The Home Depot and the City of Baltimore’s Cleaner Greener Initiative helped return a sense of community to the residents of the Oliver Neighborhood through Fiskars’ Project Orange Thumb.
In addition to a $94,000 investment, the team tilled and planted from early morning until late afternoon at the garden site in the Oliver neighborhood. Fiskars selected the Oliver neighborhood for the project and coordinated, developed, designed and managed the day-long makeover. Master Gardener Joe Lamp’l designed the site. The Home Depot donated all planting materials and supplies for the project, and assisted with the garden design and installation.
“The Oliver Neighborhood Community Garden is the sixth in a series of national gardening projects for Fiskars,” said Paul Tonnesen, president of Fiskars. “We hope this further celebrates the importance of gardening in providing beauty, sustainable food resources and a place of community.”
You know Fiskars as the #1 scissors brand in the world, but did you know it was founded in 1649? Fiskars has been operating for over 360 years and is Finland’s oldest company.
This Oliver site was chosen out of several other locations because of its uniqueness and proved most viable given the requirements. But the great news is that this partnership will allow us to create more urban oasis and gathering spaces with more positive and sustainable outcomes.
Several local organizations have agreed to be the garden stakeholders and stewards, including the Mrs. Nina Harper and Mr. Lawrence Pulley, Oliver Community Association, Oliver Economic Development Corporation, Cynthia Gaylmore owner proprietor of the historical Locks Funeral Home, The Dawson Center’s Pam Carter and Nicole Dixon, as well as, many of the residents have been working tirelessly to revitalize the area.
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