A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to mark the installation of a new gazebo at Karol’s Urban Community Farm, located at 2225 Lacombe Ave., within NYCHA’s Castle Hill Houses development, on Friday, March 27.
This gazebo will act as a permanent gathering space for workshops, composting education, volunteer coordination and community farm stands. It will help strengthen the infrastructure of the farm while also supporting its continued growth as a hub for access to fresh food, sustainability and neighborhood connection.
Among those on hand to celebrate the gazebo’s opening on this 1.3-acre resident-led farm were Council Member Amanda Farías, members from the New York Botanical Garden, staff members from Bronx Green-Up and other Bronx residents.
“There are children in Castle Hill who are learning how tomatoes grow, how compost works and what it means to take care of the land,” Farías said. “Karol’s Urban Community Farm proves that when residents are given tools and support, they can transform their own backyard into something extraordinary. I’m proud we were able to invest in a space that strengthens food access and fosters improved quality of life in our community at the same time.”
Farías was able to secure investment from the City Council to fund the creation of the gazebo.
Karol’s Urban Community Farm is a volunteer-led NYCHA community garden that is intended to help Castle Hill residents meet their food needs through urban agriculture. In addition to local volunteers, it is also cared for by other Castle Hill residents, as well as staff members from the New York Botanical Garden’s Bronx Green-Up.
Acting tenant president of NYCHA Castle Hill Houses, Annette Cotton, recalled her friend Karol Moore, a longtime resident for whom the farm was named.
“She would have loved it,” Cotton said of the gazebo. “She loved being involved in the community —she loved whatever was going on.”
The Bronx Green-Up program allows the New York Botanical Garden to provide horticultural expertise, technical assistance and training to Karol’s Urban Community Farm and other community gardens in the Bronx. It supports resident-led efforts to expand urban agriculture and environmental education.
“Our Bronx Green-Up team has been working alongside Bronx residents to help revitalize and preserve neighborhood green spaces for the past 38 years,” said Jennifer Bernstein, CEO and William C. Steere Sr. President of the New York Botanical Garden.
“We look forward to an ongoing partnership with NYCHA and the office of Council Member Amanda Farias to offer the residents of Castle Hill Houses and surrounding neighborhoods quality services. Karol’s Urban Farm has the potential to become an educational site for health and nutrition, but more importantly, a community anchor that promotes well-being and positivity.”
During the growing season, volunteers at the farm transplant seedlings, seed crops, water the crops, remove weeds, harvest produce and weigh the freshly grown fruits and vegetables. Community farm stands are held to directly provide the public with food grown at Karol’s Urban Community Farm.
Composting initiatives are promoted at the farm. These initiatives allow Castle Hill Houses residents to reduce their food waste while also building nutrient-rich soil and strengthening environmental stewardship within the community.
The ribbon-cutting of the gazebo highlights the impact of investing directly into NYCHA communities. Such investment reinforces resident leadership, expands access to green space and strengthens quality of life for Castle Hill families.
“For as long as the sun rays hit this urban oasis, I hope we utilize its energy to not only grow food, but a spirit of resiliency and community to foster beautification of not only this space, but the hearts of all those who embrace it,” New York Botanical Garden Bronx Green-Up Horticulturist and Urban Agriculturist CheʹVon Cooper said.
“Let this gazebo serve as a beacon of progress, reflecting a community committed to growth, well-being and a brighter shared future.”
Additional reporting by Marina Samuel.
