Northeast News
Oct. 4, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Kansas City, Mo., recently received an award for its urban gardens.

Kansas City was awarded the Innovation Award Honorable Mention in the large cities category at the Missouri Municipal League Conference on Sept. 16, 2014.

KC Grow, which launched this past April, makes it easier to grow nutritious food for the community as vacant lots and lawns are turned into productive growing space. In a press release, First District At-Large Councilman Scott Wagner said the city has recognized that urban agriculture provides an opportunity to make its vacant properties more productive.

“So by removing a barrier to water access, my hope is that we will see much more activity for these properties,” Wagner said.

Ben Sharda, executive director of Kansas City Community Gardens, added that the KC Grow program is going to be a huge help to community garden groups trying to grow food for city residents. Within the first quarter of the project, the educational objective has been surpassed and 40 percent of the audits were conducted, putting KC Grow on track to meet its technical assistance and grant-awarding standards.

The MML Innovation Awards program showcases municipal projects that demonstrate new approaches for solving municipal challenges. The awards recognize and celebrate successful programs, spotlighting those that could benefit other communities.