Creative Placemaking Project

Main Photo credit Prospect P.L.A.C.E. neighbors

Pegasus Garden

Lansing, Michigan

A formerly vacant lot is now the home of Pegasus Garden, a communal garden and gathering space for neighbors in the Prospect PLACE neighborhood on the East Side of Lansing, Michigan.

After the city demolished a home, the resulting vacant lot attracted illegal drug activity to the area. Jennifer Grau, a Prospect PLACE neighborhood resident, said “Neighbors wanted to create a colorful space for gathering and gardening that would signal to those who live here and those passing by that we live in a connected, vibrant, and caring community.” A neighbor with an adjacent home acquired the lot to serve as that safe space for the community.

Pegasus Garden features a free book library and a tool shed where neighbors can borrow tools. It also serves as a communal space for campfires, potlucks, neighborhood meetings, youth activities, and free community concerts. Most importantly, the garden grows and provides fresh produce for the neighborhood. It even features raised beds to make gardening accessible for neighbors in wheelchairs.

The garden is communal by design; there are no individual plots. Anyone can plant, weed, water, or share in the harvest. The garden feeds those who tend to the garden and neighbors who do not have a garden of their own.

Impacts

Inspired additional efforts – and increased neighborliness. The Prospect PLACE neighbors continue to sustain a high level of community engagement, cultivating new ideas to improve their neighborhood. A neighbor recently purchased a vacant lot next door to Pegasus Garden to expand the informal gathering and meeting space. He hopes to install more formal structures on the lot, like a shipping container, for youth and adult neighbors to enjoy.
Reduction in crime. Neighbors have seen a reduction in crime which they attribute to their community engagement and beautification efforts.

Lessons Learned

You don’t have to do it all at once. You can start small and allow for time and relationship-building to occur before expanding into larger projects.
Have a maintenance plan. Continued maintenance can be a challenge. Ensure the size of the project is realistic given the number of individuals willing to assist with upkeep. Grau suggested keeping a “to do” list visible so that when community members are enjoying the gathering space they can also pitch in to help.
Keep the space bustling with activities. This can include scheduling regular events, and pop ups to keep neighbors engaged and committed not just to the one parcel of land, but to the neighborhood overall.

Property Type: Residential Lot (no structure)
Project Type/ New Use: Event(s)
Project Purpose: Build community; Improve safety; Provide food access
Duration: Permanent

Initial Cost: Under $10,000
Funding Source: Unknown

Organization Type: Community Leader
Implementation Partners: Block Club
City: Lansing
State: Michigan
Community Type: Urban

Project Website: Prospect PLACE Neighbors >
Social: Facebook >

Project Photos

Last updated: October 2021 – Do you have additional information about this project? Please use the share your placemaking project form » to share that information.

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