UHC’s Joy Garden Chosen to Participate in SITES 2-year Pilot Program
May 25, 2010
The Joy Garden has been chosen to partake in the SITES Pilot Program! The 150+ participants in the program showcase diverse projects in order to demonstrate the application of The Sustainable Sites Initiative: Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks 2009 , released on November 5, 2009.
What started as a way to provide Northside College Preparatory High School with a unique learning environment that brings the joy of the outdoors to students who may be otherwise deprived by physical handicap and/or inadequate access to (quasi-) vegetated sites, has also served as an opportunity for UHC to teach the community about what sustainable, vegetated land-use is, has certified 20+ volunteers with a ‘green job’ skill, and was 100% planned, constructed and loved by UHC, UWC, and the many student, faculty, and community volunteers.
We couldn’t have made it this far without our dedicated student volunteers and certainly not without the inspiration of Samantha Joy Birman, after whom the garden was named. A special thanks to Project Coordinator Brianna Birman (and niece of Samantha Joy Birman) and our partners at Urban Wildlife Coalition, local, grassroots-based advocates for the preservation of natural areas and our coexistence with wildlife.
Joy Garden still needs work to become a fully realized work of functional art and as a useful teaching tool for NCPHS teachers. Every Tuesday and Wednesday, from 10 AM - 1 PM, Nick will work with volunteers in the Joy Garden. If you are interested in becoming a regular volunteer (willing to dedicate a couple hours every week for the next few weeks) please call Nick at 240-606-7194
Every Saturday, from 12 PM - 4 PM, Mike will work with volunteers in the garden. Please call Mike at 773-791-1131.
When & Where
Date: Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday through August
Time: Tuesday and Wednesday (Nick) - 10 AM - 1 PM
Saturday (Mike) - 12 PM - 4 PM
Where: Northside College Preparatory High School 5501 N. Kedzie Ave. Chicago, IL 60625
“The Sustainable Sites Initiative is a partnership of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and the United States Botanic Garden in conjunction with a diverse group of stakeholder organizations to establish and encourage sustainable practices in landscape design, construction, operations, and maintenance.”
