Dove Street residents celebrate opening of community garden

Children play on freshly painted basketball and football courts, while others hopscotch across games painted vibrantly on the concrete floor.

The smell of sizzling pizzas rises across a crowd of families and friends and homemade samosas are passed round in abundance.

These are the sounds and smells of a thriving community celebrating.

The celebration in question is the ceremonial opening of Dove Street flats community garden project.

Residents gathered to watch the cutting of the ribbon which will officially open the space

Dove Street resident and research associate at University College London, Bernardita Munoz-Chereau – or Bernie – initially started getting together a group for a community garden space in an area below the flats.

Faced with isolation during lockdown, Bernie started a WhatsApp group called Grow Green Carolina to kickstart her gardening project, which she says turned neighbours into friends throughout the pandemic.

When Bristol24/7 met with Bernie last year, she was keen to change the negative image of the area, and said that although the area has its share of social problems, such as rough sleeping and drug-taking, the vast majority of residents have shown a real desire to improve the community’s outdoor spaces.

Planters have been installed around the space, with herbs and flowers for the residents to enjoy and contribute to

Then, with the help of a group of residents from the flat, Bernie was able to secure funding from Bristol City Council through its Community Infrastructure Levy, where the council raises money from developers to be used for infrastructure that supports growth in Bristol.

Residents held an initial consultation with children who lived in the flats – it was the children who had the idea to paint a basketball and football court onto a disused garage plot beneath Dove Street tower.

Above the garages, colourful games have been painted across ground that used to be an unusable water clogged area, and beautiful murals by local artists are painted across concrete walls.

Games like hopscotch, snakes and ladders and a drawing pad are painted across the ground

The group also installed benches around the space, and secured further funding to plant trees in the nearby park to make it more appealing for locals. They also added bunting and more benches to draw people to this neglected green space.

“The flats’ terrace that was bleak, now has planters, picnic tables and benches that make people come together and feel proud of their place,” says Bernie.

“We all feel happier and safer and the children are so proud.”

A mural painted by a local artist and a bench at the end of the alleyway make the space more welcoming

“There is power in the community but you can’t take it for granted. You need to build trust, and that takes a lot of time.”

Bernie hopes that others will follow in the footsteps of Dove Street: “It has the potential to empower other residents in other high-risers that have been facing so many challenges.

The council was also invited to the opening, so that the residents could show them the real impact of this community funding.

Bernie now wants to ensure the space will be maintained, and hopes to keep residents and the council as involved as possible.

A “Welcome to Dove Street” mural

All photos: Mia Vines Booth

Read next:

• The Kingsdown gardens bringing a community together
• Residents dismay at filming that portrays neighbourhood in a negative light
• New community garden opens in unusual place
• Calls to involve Bristol community in how city will be governed

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