Timeline

2015

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams announces $450,000 in funding to repave and enhance outdoor classroom amenities at Butterfly Garden.HomeGrown partners with PS53 and MS88, bringing more teachers and students to use and help develop the learning environment at Butterfly Garden. HomeGrown partners with the community gardeners at Det. Joseph Mayrose Park.

2014

Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Kevin Jeffrey designates the PS10 School Farm section of Butterfly Garden as special use area for the school children during May-June.

2013

Field hydrant is installed by NYC Parks plumbers.Goldman Sachs volunteers pitch in with PS10 teachers and students to install rolling planters – doubling PS10 Farm – and edging in butterfly habitat.

2012

PS10 secures a Lowes Toolbox grant for bringing water to the butterfly habitat at Butterfly Garden.HomeGrown awarded grant from Citizens Committee for NYC (CCNYC) to fund purchase of field hydrant at “PS10 Farm.” PS10 teachers awarded CCfNYC grant to fund rolling planters.

2011

Partnerships for Parks awards HomeGrown a capacity-building grant for a bulletin board for the “PS10 Farm.”HomeGrown awarded grant from Citizens Committee for NYC awarded to fund second phase of planters repurposing old sandpit as foundation.

2010

NYC Parks approves first capital project in decades includes: gates to secure park’s core area (classroom) 24/7 sitting area preserved; gates to allow circulation into and out of the main garden area; ramps into main garden area; ADA-compliant drinking fountain. HomeGrown begins securing park gates at night.First planters are built & installed in May (in […]

2009

Community Board 7 votes to endorse HomeGrown’s efforts to develop Butterfly Garden as an accessible garden. HomeGrown secures a grant from Partnerships for Parks to build prototype ADA-compliant, child-size planters. PS10 teachers obtain grant for second set of planters from Goldman Sachs.

2008

HomeGrown volunteers are accepted at Partnerships Academy – program for training parks friends / conservancy group leaders.

2006

HomeGrown celebrates 5 years of sweat equity invested in Butterfly Garden: 2,500+ volunteer hours, 10,000+ spring-flowering bulbs planted (plus butterfly bushes, lilacs, dogwoods & more).NYC Parks retrofits old sandpit plumbing to install tap for garden hose.

2004

HomeGrown files formal request to NYC Parks to have gates installed so Butterfly Garden can be secured overnight.

2003

HomeGrown opens first full volunteer gardening season: every Saturday at 10:00 a.m. April through October. Obtains DEP permit to tap fire hydrant for water.Commissioner Adrian Benepe pays a visit on It’s My Park Day! In October. Agrees our “no-name” park deserves to be officially designated “Butterfly Garden.”

2002

As HomeGrown, community volunteers apply to serve as stewards for B255G under Partnerships for Parks program. Park’s planting areas are cleaned, new topsoil roto-tilled, berms created, first 3,000 bulbs planted.HomeGrown counters proposal to use B255G planting areas as dog runs with a vision of restored gardens at Community Board 7 hearing – a vision recommended […]

2001

Community volunteers organize to care for half-acre park designated B255G at 18th St. & 7th Ave.