June 8, 2021
Everyone deserves access to a park! Over the past 25 years, COGdesign has been a small and consistent voice saying that green spaces matter. During this extraordinary year, our awareness of the essential nature of parks for our health and well-being has coalesced into an issue of national importance.
We want to share the impact the COG concept plan for the Fannie Lou Hamer Community Garden has had on the surrounding community in Dorchester. It is true that gardens bring beauty and a sense of pride, but the impact of our design process brings additional much-needed benefits. It can bring a sense of agency to a community, and a sense of clarity about the process and its timeline. By its very nature, it improves health outcomes and provides a place to build community.
FLH is a much loved, 40-yr-old community garden born from empty lots burned out in the 1980s. Neighbors Samantha Tan and Shauna Helton applied to COG in 2019 for help revitalizing the garden.
“The design process has jump started our fundraising and pulled in more neighbors who want to work on the garden.” With the procurement of an adjacent empty lot the garden will expand by 30 percent allowing more neighbors to participate. A reflection of community vision, the design will provide shady seating areas and a vital gathering space for performances.
Help us make sure that we continue supporting our neighbors across the city as they come together around the design of neighborhood parks and gardens. Please make a donation to COG today.
Thank you for your support.
Jennifer Kimball & Hadley Berkowitz
Executive Director Board President
Below, Fannie Lou Hamer garden, 2019; and a rendering of the revitalized garden created by Astrid Wong and Liz Stetson as envisioned by the community, 2021
