Akron leaders made a nutty move Monday.
City Council donated a vacant lot at 115 S. Maple Street to the West Hill Neighborhood Organization Monday as part of a plan to grow chestnut, almond, walnut and cashew trees across from an existing fruit farm.
Last year, the city donated 28 semi-dwarf fruit trees — apple, apricot, pear, plum, cherry, peach and aprium (a plum and apricot hybrid) as part of a pledge to replace each tree removed to make way for the sewer project with two new trees.
“We were pleased to support the West Hill Neighborhood Organization in creating this community oasis on South Maple, all while keeping our environmental promise to our residents, beautifying the neighborhood, and putting idle property to good use, which reduces the cost to taxpayers in maintaining vacant lots,” Mayor Dan Horrigan said.
“Within a few years, this neighborhood will be teaming with life with fully functioning, pick-your-own fruit and nut orchards, a sitting garden, a monarch butterfly way station, a living sculpture being developed by University of Akron students, and soon the West Hill apiary [bee colony],” said Karen Noel, vice president of West Hill Neighborhood Organization. “The support and partnership of the city was indispensable in making all this possible, as was the generosity of many neighbors, donors and volunteers. We believe this kind of support and collaboration from a city is very rare.”
At a public meeting, Ward 1 Councilman Rich Swirsky led 90 brainstorming residents to develop the fruit and nut farm plan. “I applaud the residents of West Hill for coming together to develop a series of actions to revitalize their neighborhood and putting in the hard work to see it through,” said Swirsky. “I thank Mayor Horrigan and the administration for listening and being responsive to the needs of the residents and taking action to help make the community’s vision a reality.”
Doug Livingston can be reached at 330-996-3792 or dlivingston@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @ABJDoug .