Residents of the Cottell Apartments on Pleasant Street in the Flint met with Lydia Silva, a local expert on Permaculture, Mass in Motion Coordinator Julie Kelly, Healthy City Fall River Coordinator David Weed,Parnters Community Outreach Manage Brian Moses and Partners School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard on February 25, 2015 to discuss plans for a garden next to the building. Permaculture is a branch of ecological design that seeks to meet human needs by creating regenerative social, economic and agricultural systems. The group discussed possible plantings and related issues of accessibility, fencing, labor and design. Ms. Silva will put together a plan from the discussion and will return to meet with the residents in several weeks before she places the order for the plants. Work on creating the garden will then begin in April with assistance from the Fall River Housing Authority. "The residents are clearly excited about having a garden they can design and benefit from," remarked Mass in Motion Coordinator Julie Kelly who initiated the project. Click here for a12-minute video of some of the discussion. For further information, contact Julie Kelly at 508-324-2405. 

(Top row) Ms. Silva greets the residents who meet together to work on the project for the first time in the community room of the Cottell Apartments. (Row two) Resident Lorraine Cabral listens as Ms. Silva outlines the planning process and solicits input from the group as to what they want to see planted. (Row three, left) Mass in Motion Coordinator Julie Kelly listens to Resident George Burton as he makes some suggestions. (Row three, center) Residents Beverly Jones and Sue McMahon work on their ideas for the garden. (Row three, right) Resident Henda Plosker joins Lorraine Cabral and Lydia Silva in a good laugh about using drones to monitor the property. (Bottom row) George Burton listens as Tenant Association President Natalie Valcourt and Henda Plosker make more suggestions for the garden.