Silver Lake will need to raise some green to get this school garden growing

A group of green minded Silver Lake residents want to transform a parking lot at Micheltorena Street School in a garden. They got a plan for a nearly 6,000-square-foot garden fronting Sunset Boulevard. They also have the backing of the elementary school principal and the Friends of Michleltorena. Now, all that’s needed is cash. That’s why the group has put out an appeal for residents to vote online in favor of the project as it competes for a $50,000 grant that will be used as seed money.

The idea arose after parking spaces were created in a different part of the school, allowing a corner of the campus to be used for other purposes, said architect and Silver Lake Neighborhood Council member Leonardo Chalupowicz. “This created the possibility of turning asphalt into green.”

Chalupowicz said he along with two other recently elected neighborhood council members – Susan Hutchinson, a master gardener, and filmmaker Charles Herman-Wurmfeld – came up with the garden idea as part of their interest in sustainable design. “As part of our vision for Silver Lake, this project sums up all our believes in green sustainable living, community involvement, seeding for future generations.”

The plans that were submitted are part of a “dream proposal” that Chalupowicz said can be adjusted based on financial resources and also built in phases. What happens if they don’t get this grant?

Should this not come through we’ll work on finding other avenues,” Chalupowicz said. “Where there’s a dream, there’s a way!”