Neighbors say 20-year community garden faces redevelopment after city ends OSU Summer Sprouts contract

Residents told Cleveland City Council that a 20-year community garden on West 47th Street faces redevelopment after the city stopped contracting with Ohio State University's Summer Sprouts community-gardening program, leaving annual leases in doubt and a developer pursuing the parcel.

The garden’s supporters said the site serves about 18 gardeners and hosts neighborhood events including potlucks, music nights, children’s activities and two weddings, and that its presence has helped stabilize the block. "We found out very recently that the city no longer has a contract with OSU's extension, Summer Sprouts community gardening program," said Ellen Cubit, a Ward 3 resident who addressed the council during public comment. "It was a shock to us."

Neighbor Marcia Nolan, who said she has lived at West 47th for 25 years, described the garden as part of a two-decade strategy to reduce arson, drug activity and vacant properties. "We cleaned it up and that was the beginning of our community garden," Nolan said. "We don't need another $800,000 house. We need that community garden so children have a place to go."

Eric Bullfield, who said his wife has led the garden since 2018, told the council the city previously required garden leads to submit leases and complete training through the Summer Sprouts program. "Now all of that has been scrapped," he said, and the parcel appears to be headed for private development unless the city provides written protections. Bullfield said neighbors have only verbal assurances that the land will not be sold.

Councilman McCormack, who attended to help the residents navigate the situation, told speakers he had spoken with administration staff and the police and would continue working with them. During later remarks McCormack said city staff and the police chief had engaged with residents and he was optimistic the garden could be renewed.

Residents asked the council and administration to restore or replace the Summer Sprouts contract, preserve the existing lease arrangement for longtime gardeners and provide written protections against an immediate sale. They did not present a council motion that night; the transcript records no formal action or directive taken on the garden during the meeting.

The garden's supporters cited nearby recent home sales of roughly $900,000 and $1.1 million as evidence of development pressure but did not present documentation of sales during the meeting. They said the garden is important to the neighborhood’s social life and safety, and requested more flexible lease arrangements for neighbors who maintain vacant lots for public use.

Council members in the chamber acknowledged the testimony and several council members later said they had already engaged with residents and city staff.