Greening Jericho
This project concerns a self contained inner city residential suburb, built for workers, and their families in the developing industries of the mid to late nineteenth century. Streets are narrow, with small terraced houses, many opening straight onto the street. The suburb was heavily modernised in the mid twentieth century and as house prices have risen, the area has ‘gentrified‘. Much of its physical character has remained however.
A notable feature has been the lack of public outdoor space. In 2018, a group of environmentally aware residents decided to set up a group to focus on the restoration of a very small neglected square with all the problems familiar in such spaces. They saw the potential for ’greening' their area with a focus on this little square.
The square now operates very successfully as a public space. Small gatherings meet there regularly, and last summer, in the interval between ‚lockdowns’, hosted, for example, a book fair with live music and refreshments, and, on another occasion, an environmental education event for families with young children.
The square is now fully wheel chair accessible. It is well lit at night, and clean. There are benches, bike parking spaces and a boule court is planned. The existing trees have been retained and more shrubs have been planted. As well as stone paved areas there are small beds for mainly wild, insect loving plants, and arranged for easy maintenance by all age groups.
This project is notable for having been designed and carried out with close co-operation between the local council, and the community. The council has provided the funding for paving and installing benches, bins and bike racks, as well as normal maintenance services such as waste disposal and lighting. The members of Greening Jericho organise themselves into regular working groups to plant, weed, water, and to collect and spread compost. The close relationship they have developed with their local councillor means that any day to day problems are fixed promptly. The local Communty Centre also plays a supportive role.
Part of the project has been to ’green' the whole suburb in terms of window boxes, bird nesting boxes, flower pots outside frontdoors and planting in other tiny areas of previously ‘waste‘ land. The whole project has provided a wonderful example of how a local community and it’s counciilors can work together to bring about changes which benefit everyone, and fit us for a future which is likely to be ‘local’.
This project concerns a self contained inner city residential suburb, built for workers, and their families in the developing industries of the mid to late nineteenth century. Streets are narrow, with small terraced houses, many opening straight onto the street. The suburb was heavily modernised in the mid twentieth century and as house prices have risen, the area has ‘gentrified‘. Much of its physical character has remained however.
A notable feature has been the lack of public outdoor space. In 2018, a group of environmentally aware residents decided to set up a group to focus on the restoration of a very small neglected square with all the problems familiar in such spaces. They saw the potential for ’greening' their area with a focus on this little square.
The square now operates very successfully as a public space. Small gatherings meet there regularly, and last summer, in the interval between ‚lockdowns’, hosted, for example, a book fair with live music and refreshments, and, on another occasion, an environmental education event for families with young children.
The square is now fully wheel chair accessible. It is well lit at night, and clean. There are benches, bike parking spaces and a boule court is planned. The existing trees have been retained and more shrubs have been planted. As well as stone paved areas there are small beds for mainly wild, insect loving plants, and arranged for easy maintenance by all age groups.
This project is notable for having been designed and carried out with close co-operation between the local council, and the community. The council has provided the funding for paving and installing benches, bins and bike racks, as well as normal maintenance services such as waste disposal and lighting. The members of Greening Jericho organise themselves into regular working groups to plant, weed, water, and to collect and spread compost. The close relationship they have developed with their local councillor means that any day to day problems are fixed promptly. The local Communty Centre also plays a supportive role.
Part of the project has been to ’green' the whole suburb in terms of window boxes, bird nesting boxes, flower pots outside frontdoors and planting in other tiny areas of previously ‘waste‘ land. The whole project has provided a wonderful example of how a local community and it’s counciilors can work together to bring about changes which benefit everyone, and fit us for a future which is likely to be ‘local’.
