A Parish Story from Brooklyn Centre | Cleveland, OH

Collaborating for Renewal can look like unearthing and connecting assets in the neighborhood for the good of the neighborhood. 

Brooklyn Centre is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Cleveland, OH. Parish Collective staff member Anthony Giambroni lives and works in his neighborhood as an asset-based community developer, collaborating with his colleagues, neighbors and local churches to bring renewal to their streets.

During the pandemic lockdown, Anthony connected with an elderly neighbor through a food distribution program for isolated neighbors funded by the city. After the dust had settled and the neighbors had more food security, they used leftover money to create spaces of connection for these isolated neighbors, led by some of the neighbors. They gathered 8 seniors together who had interest and desire to engage their community and they created walking, cycling, and fishing groups, as well as a poetry class.

One initiative was started by an elderly neighbor who took a special interest in her neighborhood park that had been mostly abandoned. She received a grant for a resident-led initiative through Building Hope in the City, backed and sponsored by local faith communities  to bring awareness and host events in the park. She described it as “a park with no name and no lights.” In 2021 and 2022 they held an event called Light up the Park to gather neighbors in the underutilized community space. There had been a history of other neighbors advocating for the park unable to gain much traction, but this time, they caught the attention of their councilwoman and were able to get the 30+ year old rusted out playground equipment removed.

In September 2022, the councilwoman announced it would be a 2023 priority to invest  $300,000 in updating the park, meeting with urban planners and landscape architects, as well as getting feedback from local residents. The story is still unfolding, but despite rainy weather, many neighbors turned out for a recent Easter egg hunt in the park. Anthony and his neighbors in Brooklyn Centre look forward to a brighter future for what’s now known as “Storer Park.”