Parks, Playgrounds, and Green Spaces
Purpose
Maintain and promote CENA’s green spaces and collaborate with volunteers and the City of Charleston to improve those spaces
Team
“Nature surrounds us, from parks and backyards to streets and alleyways. Next time you go out for a walk, tread gently and remember that we are both inhabitants and stewards of nature in our neighborhoods.” – David Suzuki
CENA’s Green Spaces
Elliottborough Community Garden
The Elliotborough Community Garden is located at 132 Line Street and managed by the Charleston Nature Conservancy. Beds are available for rent annually for a cost of $50. The Community Garden boasts chimney boxes to help preserve the habitat of chimney swifts, pollinator plants to encourage pollinators in our area, and a compost bin. The garden also has a wonderful playground for the neighborhood children. Traditionally CENA has hosted its annual Halloween party, Halloween in the Boo-Roughs!, in the park adjacent to the garden.
DeReef Playground is a work in progress. Thanks to the hard work of the Friends of DeReef Park (FODP), a group of CENA neighbors committed to saving our green spaces, the City of Charleston has agreed to provide a playground for the children of the neighborhood at the DeReef Court development on Morris Street. Presently, members of CENA are working directly with the Charleston Parks Department to encourage completion of the promised playground. Want to help us? Contact your Representative(s) and / or E-Mail the Charleston Parks Department to express your support!
Mary’s Garden on Porter’s Court is a special place. Originally maintained by Miss Mary as a native species pocket park in our neighborhood, since Miss Mary’s passing this precious green space has been a bit overlooked. Volunteers are now working to maintain the space and return it to some of its former glory.
Shiloh Park is another work in progress. As part of the FODP settlement, the City of Charleston agreed to turn over the site of the old Shiloh AME Church on Smith Street. CENA and FODP have partnered to impress upon the City the vital importance of fulfilling its promise to our neighborhood and returning the green space that was sold years back. Most recently, FODP requested access to some of the parcel to start a new community garden on part of the property. If you’re interested in a garden plot, please reach out to FODP. If you would like to help impress upon the City the importance of Shiloh Park as a green-space for our neighborhood, PLEASE reach out to your representative(s) and E-Mail the Charleston Parks Department to express your support!
10.17.2019 Update from Virginia Jones with the Dept. of Parks: “The City found some funding to demolish the Shiloh AME Church and prepare the property for park implementation. If all goes well with the holidays coming up we should be out for bids, have proposals in hand and possibly get Council approval for a Contractor in December. To start demo by early January is best case scenario. I estimate a 45 day construction window but that is always weather dependent that time of year. This is the first step in clearing the land, next step is designing a park with neighborhood input later in the year.”
Settlement Agreement for Shiloh / DeReef:
