Started in 2003 as a peaceful response to the current war in Iraq and heavy drug activity in the neighborhood, Burton Street Community Peace Gardens is a growing labor of love in the heart of the Burton Street Community. From its humble beginnings as an overgrown lot filled with discarded 40-ounce bottles, the Gardens have grown to include two vegetable/flower gardening sites, stage area, fire pit, cob pizza oven, greenhouse, and sculpture gardens.

With a focus on environmental and community responsibility, the garden design and sculpture park have been created using found/reused items (most from the immediate neighborhood). The Gardens are hydrated from direct rain, in addition to rainwater collected in the 550-gallon tank of a neighboring residence. The greenhouse frame was constructed using steel poles from a discarded McDonalds playground. Brick, block & concrete used to build the fire pit, garden beds, & cob oven are all sourced from residences or sidewalks that were demolished and headed for the landfill.

Of special note is the sculpture park that is the creative endeavor of artist and poet DeWayne Barton/B Love along with other local artists. The installations, like the gardens, are created with found/reused items and each tells a separate and compelling story of social and environmental justice.

Our vision is to be a sanctuary for positive action, which results in neighborhood food security, community cohesion, and a vibrant, sustainable local economy.

Event extras:

• 12 – 1 PM – fresh pizza from the cob oven
• 2 – 4 PM –  tours of the gardens & sculpture park w/ B Love

Additional photos from the day of the stroll.