A piece of waste land has been converted into a community garden which will provide fresh food for local people.
And the new facility – between Cullen Street and Greenleaf Street, Liverpool 8,
– will also have a remembrance garden in memory of loved ones.
The land had lain derelict for a number of years. At a walkabout in the area with MP Luciana Berger, councillors and officers it was identified as somewhere local residents had called for improvements to be carried out.
Work to convert it into a garden was carried out in seven weeks by Plus Dane’s IN Environmental services (INES) , a social enterprise which specialises in cleaning up neighbourhoods.
The new garden will have six growing areas for vegetables which will be distributed to the local community. There will also be an area where rose bushes an
d flowers will be planted in memory of loved ones.
A seating area is also planned and around the perimeter of the garden will be bushes and flowers.
It was be formally opened by Luciana Berger. She said; “Cullen Street community garden is a fantastic example of what can be achieved by communities working together with the council and other organisations to improve the local area.
“I’m delighted to see this area of land transformed into a positive and popular community asset, and I’d like to thank all of those residents, staff and councillors who have helped to make it happen”
What they Say:
Local resident Billy Grady said; “This has been an eyesore for many years but now it is going to be something that the residents will really appreciate, and look after and it is going to look great.”
Ward councillor Tim Beaumont added; “This bit of land has been derelict for years. Residents told us how much they wanted the environment to improve starting with this patch of land. We’ve been able to clear it and bring into community use. That’s good news for the people living in this area.”
Joe Feeley, head of environmental services at INES, said: “This has been a great opportunity to turn a derelict piece of land that was a real eyesore into a useable green space that all the community can enjoy.”
Councillor Steve Munby, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: “In the last three years we’ve bought over a hundred derelict and abandoned sites into community use. We’re on a mission to have a hundred more in the next two years. It lifts the area, adds new green lungs to the city and provides space to grow food, play and meet as a community. The new garden at Cullen Street is on one of main gateways into the city and has been a grot spot for too long.”
