The West Side Improvement Club Community Garden
Overview
Community gardens are popular in the United States and around the world as a strategy to meet environmental and social goals in urban areas. They have been studied in a variety of contexts including food production, social activities, and urban green infrastructure. Community gardens promote engagement for members of our community, as well studies have shown community gardens create a connection to the place we live and people reside longer in neighborhoods with community gardens.
Current Status of Westside Improvement Club Property
The property at Westside Improvement Club on the corner of National & D Street is currently unused and somewhat unappealing. This property has the potential to not only benefit our members but the community as well. The community benefits by having space to garden, a place to socialize, and a connection to this community as well as Westside Improvement Club.
Westside Improvement Club benefits as it reaps the reward of increasing membership, connecting to the community members in Navy Yard City, being able to donate harvested vegetables to those in need, giving back to our community, creating revenue through space rental, also in future a Farmer’s Market revenue for vendors during Spring/Summer/Fall months in the parking lot. This also brings more people into awareness of Westside Improvement Club and the potential to increase our membership.