The Harlem McBride neighborhood is blossoming with greenery, all thanks to a highly successful community gardening event in early May. Organized by the Harlem McBride Neighborhood Association in collaboration with the Urban Farming Institute (UFI), this pop-up event aimed to ignite enthusiasm for the new community garden at Dr. Carter G. Woodson Park at 3490 NE 3rd Ave.

At the event, UFI teamed up with over two dozen neighborhood residents, the City Commission, and City Staff to cultivate 30 fruits and vegetables, including sweet peppers, Seminole pumpkins, Everglades tomatoes, eggplants, and garlic chives. These selections were chosen for their resilience in the summer heat and their suitability for novice gardeners.

City staff helped register neighbors to maintain the 13 garden beds throughout the upcoming gardening season, which will kick off with an informative UFI talk on "What to Plant in the Summer" on Saturday, May 18th, at 10 a.m.

The momentum for this project gathered steam in March 2023, when the City Commission approved plans for a Community Garden on a vacant City-owned lot adjacent to Dr. Carter G. Woodson Park. Funding for the garden came from various grants, including $50,000 from the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program, $50,000 from the Florida Urban Community Farming Pilot Grant Program, $10,000 from the Urban and Community Forestry Grant, and $69,988 from an African-American Cultural and Historical Grant.

This garden initiative is part of a larger multi-phase project at Dr. Carter G. Woodson Park, which will get underway on May 20th, 2204. Future park enhancements will include a refurbished basketball court featuring new lighting and seating. Additionally, the playground will undergo significant upgrades and receive new equipment and a rubberized play surface. We want to thank the Harlem McBride neighborhood for supporting this initiative and organizing the pop-up gardening event.