'We're gathered here to celebrate community:' Southside Gardens park opens

LORAIN — A $1.3 million park at Southside Gardens officially opened Friday. In a kickoff to the Labor Day weekend, Raise Up, formerly Lorain Metropolitan Housing Authority, invited community members and civic leaders to celebrate the park's completion and the hopeful step forward it means for Lorain's south side. "Today's the end of a long journey," Raise Up CEO Judith Carlin said. "It's a special day — one we've been looking forward to for a long time. We're not here just to cut a ribbon — we're gathered here to celebrate community." Raise Up broke ground on the project at East 30th Street and Vine Avenue in February after more than a year of planning and community input to shape the park and its amenities. The park, and nearby Southside Gardens, is at the heart of Raise Up's Southside Gateway Community Plan. Raise Up and the city received a federal $500,000 Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant in late 2022, a chance to reimagine affordable housing and investment in a swath of the 5th and 6th wards. Since then, the city and Raise Up have developed the plan, which includes replacing the aging Southside Gardens with new public housing units while enticing investment into other affordable housing projects in the area. It received $100,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to start the project as an "early action activity" ahead of an application for a full implementation grant for the Southside Gateway plan. HUD has yet to open applications for the implementation grants, which are highly competitive multimillion-dollar awards to revitalize distressed public housing and spur investment in the surrounding neighborhood. "This park is in direct response to what the community asked for," Sayers Proby said. "... They asked for this safe space, a space for community gardens, a performing arts space." Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley said South Lorain often feels neglected, but the renewed investment in the Southside Gateway project shows it will receive the same amenities as any other part of the city. He hoped it would also make the neighborhood safer, and give residents pride in their community. The park has security cameras and is amply lit at night. "Our young people need to know that places like this exist in the city of Lorain and that we want them to feel that this is their home — this is a place where they can feel that they belong," Bradley said. Raise Up received several grants to help make the park a reality, including: $400,000 from the Finch Group $350,000 in city funds $130,000 from the Nord Family Foundation $60,000 from the Community Foundation of Lorain County $20,000 from Ruscilli Construction $5,000 from Lorain National Bank $5,000 from Jim and Lori Cetovich For Raise Up Board of Commissioners Chairperson Linda Davis, the completed park was a welcome sight. "These kids will be out here so much," she said, standing on the walkway separating the playground from the outdoor performing arts space. "It is someplace safe to go." The park is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. It will be maintained by Raise Up. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.