By Bridget Scrimenti, bscrimenti@lowellsun.com
Pieces
of glass, wood and nails were stuck in the soil. Clusters of debris scattered
behind the green wire fence.
Now,
neighbors see tidy garden plots and marigolds instead of junk.
“We’re
planting to make the garden look pretty”, said Amanda Fontanez,
13, after she and her sister, Jackie, delicately placed
raspberry plants in the ground at the lot, located in the
Amanda
and other
Andy
Chandonnet, the YWCA’s director of youth services and
development, rejuvenated the project for neighborhood kids.
“I’ve always felt as though children should be
viewed as assets to the community rather than problems in the community,” Chandonnet said.
“The best way we can make that statement most visible is engaging young
people in positive community activities.”
A
triple-decker home burned down on the property about 10 years ago. While the
neighborhood petitioned to keep the vacant lot as a community garden, the
parcel was mostly neglected.
“What
we’re trying to do with the garden is turn a blighted area into an oasis in the
middle of the neighborhood,” Chandonnet said.
To
fund the project, he received a 5500 grant from the Disney Corp. for youth
community service, as well as a $2,000 grant from the New England Community
Grassroots Fund, a Vermont-based nonprofit organization.
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