A trio of community gardens would move forward on the South, West and Northwest sides through City funding proposed to City Council today by Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot.

• Calumet Gateway Garden would be created on .64 acres of land at 3302-26 E. 92nd St. in South Chicago through $75,000 in Open Space Impact Fees (OSIF), a $500,000 Chicago Recovery Plan (CRP) grant, and the sale of 10 vacant City lots. Supported by the Central Indiana Community Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Service, and Fifth Third Bank, the $1.4M project is planned to feature a natural playscape for nearby El Valor Children & Family Center with a grow area, bioswale and native plantings. The site would be owned by the NeighborSpace land trust and managed by Claretian Associates. Each City lot would be sold for $1.

• An eco-orchard would be created on .42 acres of land at 3024-40 W. Fifth Ave. in East Garfield Park through $160,000 in CRP funds and the sale of eight vacant City lots. Funding would be used for environmental cleanup, community design, fencing, grading, and pathwork. The $333,000 project would be owned by the NeighborSpace land trust and managed by the Garfield Park Community Council. The site was previously approved for $111,000 in OSIF support for orchard development costs, including an entry arbor, play forest, and rain garden. Each City lot would be sold for $1.

• First Nations Garden would be permanently created on .45 acres of land at 4553- 69 N. Pulaski Road in Albany Park through $350,000 in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) assistance, $94,000 in OSIF, a $500,000 CRP grant and the sale of five City lots. Underway since 2019, the $1.1 million dollar project would celebrate indigenous cultures with a variety of landscape improvements, including art, ornamental fencing, firepits, pathways, growing beds, hoop houses, and other structures. Each City lot would be sold for $1. The site would be owned by NeighborSpace and managed by the Chi-Nations Youth Council.

Open Space Impact Fees are funds paid by new residential development projects to improve and expand public open spaces within the City’s 77 community areas.

Chicago Recovery Plan grants are issued by the City of Chicago for projects that promote an equitable economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

TIF allocates property tax growth within designated TIF districts for public and private improvement projects.

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