We worked with the community at Beam Apartments and Townhomes in North Minneapolis to plan and create a mini-park. Starting in 2022, we met residents at community events — including a neighborhood cleanup and a bingo evening — to learn their priorities for the project. The final design included native plant pollinator gardens, fruit trees, nature play elements, benches, lighting and bike racks. The following summer, residents of all ages helped us put in 886 plants during two community planting days. We paid participants for their time. We celebrated our work together at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the fall, and the park was named “Flowers That Beam Community Garden.” In the summer of 2024, children who lived there joined us at Flowers That Beam to learn about pollinators.

Partners: Sherman Associates, Jordan Area Community Council, Deane Fund for summer youth programming.