A community orchard in East Garfield Park will be developed through a financial plan approved today by City Council.

Planned for City-owned land along a stretch of Fifth Avenue between Kedzie Avenue and Mozart Street, the $1 million “Garfield Park Community Eco Orchard” will include fruit and nut trees and a variety of fruit bearing shrubs and edible perennials and annuals. Green infrastructure landscapes will be also incorporated to help mitigate the impact of heavy rain events on nearby streets and alleys.

Open Space Impact Fees in the amount of $500,000 and a $500,000 matching grant from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District will finance the project.

Construction will start later this year after environmental testing helps determine the most appropriate location. Once completed, the site will be leased to a community organization to manage the orchard as community open space.

Open Space Impact Fees are collected by the City of Chicago from new residential developments to help expand the amount of open space in each of the City’s 77 community areas.

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