Notable community members were in attendance including Broward County District 8 Commissioner Robert McKinzie, Broward County District 9 Commissioner Hazelle Rogers, and Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean J. Trantalis who gave much praise and heartwarming remarks.
“I would welcome this building in my backyard because it elevates the level of sophistication, beauty, and architecture for people who live and work in our community,” said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean J. Trantalis. “This building means that families and people who are working here can find a place within the city limits to live and be able to go to work without traveling long distances.”
“This site was a tribute to the railroad history. Artist Scott DiStefano helped design The Waav as a tribute to the railroad and as a tribute to the future of where we are going with it,” said HACFL Executive Director Tam A. English. “We could not be more proud of what we have built.”
]]>When HACFL partnered with A|P Communities to develop the Northwest Gardens Sustainable Neighborhood, the intention was to develop and design the property in a mindful manner to be conducive for future community initiatives. During the site planning of phase five of the development, the developers realized they had more land than necessary for their required density. With this in mind, they set aside a portion of the site for a future urban infill pocket park.
In late 2017, the HACFL sought to shift the plan for this park from an infill pocket park to a fruit orchard. This change was meant to supplement the existing neighborhood community vegetable gardens with fresh fruit produce from an orchard. With this new initiative, the HACFL applied and received an award of 15 fruit trees from The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation, an award-winning international nonprofit charity dedicated to planting fruitful trees and plants to alleviate world hunger, combat climate change, strengthen communities, and improve the surrounding air, soil, and water.
“As you know, this particular neighborhood has faced disenfranchisement for many years, but we have been able to change that with our sustainability, health & wellness, and equitability model,” said Scott Strawbridge, director of Development and Facilities of the Housing Authority of the City of Fort Lauderdale. “We currently have over 1,200 vegetable plants growing in our community gardens, and we are excited to expand the community’s food resources with these fruit trees. Not many affordable housings have a varied garden as we do, and we are proud to be able to provide that to our residents.”
Once complete the orchard will include jackfruit, starfruit, lychee nut, mango, banana, avocado, mamey, and miracle fruit trees, and will be yet another amenity in the Northwest Gardens neighborhood that furthers the HACFL’s original goal for this large scale public housing redevelopment they began over 10 years ago: to cultivate a neighborhood empowered with opportunity, where living and working in the community become tied together, growing food, sustainable construction, and learning about ways each person can improve their community and their planet.
To learn more about the HACFL, contact Scott Strawbridge at 954-525-6444 / [email protected] or visit www.hacfl.com. For more information about A|P Communities visit www.apcommunities.com.
]]>The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation Donates Variety of Fruit Trees to the Community
Fort Lauderdale, FL (June 7, 2018) – On Friday, June 8th, 2018, the Housing Authority of the City of Fort Lauderdale (HACFL), members of the StepUP Apprenticeship Initiative, along with Atlantic | Pacific Communities (A|P Communities) will be planting fruit trees donated by The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation (FTPF) to the Northwest Gardens Pocket Park, located at the corner of NW 14th Avenue and NW 7th Court starting at 9:00 a.m.
When HACFL partnered with A|P Communities to develop the Northwest Gardens Sustainable Neighborhood, the intention was to develop and design the property in a mindful manner to be conducive for future community initiatives. During the site planning of phase five of the development, the developers realized they had more land than necessary for their required density. With this in mind, they set aside a portion of the site for a future urban infill pocket park.
In late 2017, the HACFL sought to shift the plan for this park from an infill pocket park to a fruit orchard. This change was meant to supplement the existing neighborhood community vegetable gardens with fresh fruit produce from an orchard. With this new initiative, the HACFL applied and received an award of 15 fruit trees from The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation, an award-winning international nonprofit charity dedicated to planting fruitful trees and plants to alleviate world hunger, combat climate change, strengthen communities, and improve the surrounding air, soil, and water.
“As you know, this particular neighborhood has faced disenfranchisement for many years, but we have been able to change that with our sustainability, health & wellness, and equitability model,” said Scott Strawbridge, director of Development and Facilities of the Housing Authority of the City of Fort Lauderdale. “We currently have over 1,200 vegetable plants growing in our community gardens, and we are excited to expand the community’s food resources with these fruit trees. Not many affordable housings have a varied garden as we do, and we are proud to be able to provide that to our residents.”
Once complete the orchard will include jackfruit, starfruit, lychee nut, mango, banana, avocado, mamey, and miracle fruit trees, and will be yet another amenity in the Northwest Gardens neighborhood that furthers the HACFL’s original goal for this large scale public housing redevelopment they began over 10 years ago: to cultivate a neighborhood empowered with opportunity, where living and working in the community become tied together, growing food, sustainable construction, and learning about ways each person can improve their community and their planet.
To learn more about the HACFL, contact Scott Strawbridge at 954-525-6444 / [email protected] or visit www.hacfl.com. For more information about A|P Communities visit www.apcommunities.com.
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]]>Community Members to Begin Tree Nursery in Vacant Lot
(Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – June 1, 2018) – The Home Beautiful Park Civic Association, Inc. (HBPCA) has re-opened to the community after being closed for 15 years in the Sistrunk area. In celebration of the re-opening, HBPCA will host a Block Party for the neighborhood on Saturday, June 9th from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the corner of NW 8th Terrace and NW 10th Terrace (road block between 7th and 8th Street).
The HBPCA engages in community collaborations that promote sustainable, healthy, and equitable development, redevelopment, and public services for residents of the City of Fort Lauderdale. The HBPCA is a formally recognized Civic Association and a member in good standing of the Fort Lauderdale Council of Civic Associations. Partners in restorative justice, mental health resources, and performances from the member of the community are in support of the organization.
“We want to ensure our neighbors understand what rights they have under the system,” expressed Marie (Ms. Peaches) Huntley, president of the Home Beautiful Park Civic Association, Inc. “The purpose of this organization is to improve all neighbors’ quality of life and civic spirit, as well as to identify and represent the membership’s position on civic and governmental matters.”
Families will plant trees in a nearby vacant lot and then help care for them until it is time for transplanting. The tree nursery will be for the Apollo homes, a project that has the mission to provide three homes for families in the Fort Lauderdale community. The ‘Apollo’ families will participate in installing and nurturing trees for eventual installation on their homesites.
The Block Party will feature leaders speaking, food, music, performances, raffles, kid games, and the HBPCA’s new calendar event billboard for the community. DJ Cuda from Jam Pony Express DJs is the special guest.
To learn more about the HBPCA, please contact Marie (Ms. Peaches) Huntley at 954-652-9513, 786-678-6317, or via email at [email protected].
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