The Somerville Community Growing Center is much more than a community garden. Situated on a ¼ acre of gently sloped hillside near Union Square, the site has become a center for both environmental education and cultural performances in Somerville. Initiated in 1994, it is a model for urban land use and collaboration between city government and local nonprofit and community agencies. This urban oasis was designed and built by local residents and is maintained by volunteers.

The Center provides a hands-on learning environment for local youth to learn about the natural world, science, community service and cultural issues. After school programs are offered during the fall and spring, and there is a spring vacation camp, in collaboration with local elementary schools, such as the Cummings School. Teachers from Cummings and the High School use this space as an outdoor classroom to support a wide range of educational programs. A volunteer group coordinates a full season of concerts and other events that are free to the public, in addition to educational programming.

The Friends of the Community Growing Center are the volunteers who keep the garden growing and the programming exciting. The Friends recruit and train the Center's volunteers and also raise the funds to support all programming. Anyone is welcome to join this group of individuals who are dedicated to insuring that this unique urban place continues to serve as a source of personal renewal, informal learning, and community building for years to come.

Lisa Brukilacchio • Lisa Catella • Craig Fletcher • Claire Kozower • Evan Mcalear • Karl Thidemann

Guy Amara • Rachel Asarnow • Arly Cassidy • Ryan Conviser • Barbara Herrick • Jennifer Hill • Kate Jurczyk • John Loretz • Janice McCullough • Kat Mitchell • Janet Platt • Elizabeth Rogers

Maisie Ganz

The Center has garnered widespread recognition and a number of local, state, and national conferences have featured the Somerville Community Growing Center - which has provided the inspiration for innovative garden programming throughout the United States.

1995
• National Garden Association Youth Garden Award
• Somerville Garden Award
• Presentation at American Community Garden Association Conference
1998
• Massachusetts Horticultural Society Community Garden Award
• Presentation on "Urban Community Gardening: An Integrative Community Model Case Study" at NEAHTA Conference
1999
• Massachusetts Community Partnership Award with Walnut Street Center
• Massachusetts Federated Garden Clubs Award
2003
• Massachusetts Environmental Education Award

Over the years, the Center has recieved program support from a number of city, regional and state agencies, as well as private foundations. A partial list includes: City of Somerville, Cummings School, MA Dept of Environmental Management-Urban Forestry, Gaining Ground, Greater Boston Urban Resource Partnership, Harpley Foundation, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Kendall Foundation, New England Grassroots Environment Fund, SCAT, Somerville Arts Council, The Family Center, and Walnut Street Center. Individuals have also been very generous, helping at key times with general support. Local non-profit agencies have offered assistance as fiscal agent for significant grants; Community Action Agency of Somerville, Groundwork Somerville, Somerville Environmental & Recycling Volunteers, Somerville Public Schools and the Department of Public Works have served in this capacity.

 

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