THE GARDEN: LADYBUG MOUNTAIN

This neighborhood revitalization project began as a class project in Dr. Laundra's Environmental Sociology class back in 2018. Initially, we identified several vacant/abandoned lots in the Torrence Park neighborhood and were leased those lots by the City of Decatur in order to revitalize (beautify) them. In 2018, we established a community garden on 3 of the lots, now called 'Ladybug Mountain'. This garden was actually already started by a resident of the neighborhood (Miss Wendy) who had been teaching kids in the neighborhood about fresh vegetables and how to grow them.  While planting seeds and digging in the garden, the kids were fascinated by the insects on the lot, particularly the ladybugs. This is how the garden came to be known as Ladybug Mountain! More recently, a new community collaborator, Thinkwell, has plans to dramatically upgrade the garden with new paths, trees, chicken coop, greenhouse, etc., while still repurposing discarded items we've found on the lots (such as old tires and benches).

THE TRAIL: MOCKINGBIRD WAY

We also discovered an abandoned sidewalk that runs across the neighborhood so we cleaned it up and placed signs and educational kiosks along it, painted colorful crosswalks where it passes across streets, and introduced a QR code scaventure hunt game for kids to play, now called the Scavenature Game, where kids (and adults) learn to identify certain animals, plants, trees, and insects in the area as they search for the QR code plaques scattered in hidden places in the garden and along the trail, which is now known as Mockingbird Way. We also unearthed two cement enclaves along the 'trail', originally placed there by the city back in circa 1960 for use as a sitting or meeting place for residents to gather. We revitalized these two enclaves and they are now used by residents as open public place, as well as for impromtu class lectures when Millikin students are out there working on the trail. The Millikin University Art Department, as well as kids from the nearby Boys and Girls Club, have since painted those enclaves with fun, colorful nature imagery. One effect of this community involvement, revitalization and art on this trail has been a dramatic decrease in illegal dumping along this trail (the sidewalk runs along the southern-most edge of the neighborhood, adjacent to an abandoned factory, which makes it an ideal location to dump unwanted waste, such as old TV's and other electronic waste, and other debris and trash. Along with placing several 'NO DUMPING' signs along the trail, this has led to much less illegal dumping. We continue regular trash pickup days to keep the trail clean and walkable, working alongside residents to keep their neighborhood clean and to increase pride and ownership of these public spaces (trail and garden), which also has the effect of reducing crime in the neighborhood! Millikin students in the Criminal Justice program have taken the initiative to develop, distribute, collect and analyze survey data from residents on what new activities or issues that concern them most, including crime in the neighborhood. 

THE PARK IN TORRENCE PARK

The overall environmental theme that has taken root in the garden and trail projects has led to regular activities (mostly for kids) at the actual park in Torrence Park, located off Grand Avenue on the North end of the neighborhood. With the support of the Park District, who have given us access to the park pavilion and concession stand, we now collaborate with several other groups/agencies in the area to host regular block parties for kids and other residents of the neighborhood. The park is now the primary gathering place for these block parties and other activities, so we also extended Mockingbird Way so that the trail now begins/ends at the park!

This community-based project is led by Millikin University, Dept. of Sociology & Criminal Justice with the support of several community partners, including Thinkwell Inc. (non-profit org), the City of Decatur, Community Environmental Council, Decatur Park District,  Decatur Arts Council, Decatur Audubon Society, Decatur Police Dept., Beautify Decatur, Good Samaritan Inn/Mercy Gardens, and others.