A grassroots community group in Lemon Grove has been awarded a $15,000 grant to launch a beautification project in Promenade Park, located in the city’s historic business corridor.
Revitalize Broadway, formed in 2024, received the funding to support the Promenade Park Beautification Project, which will feature a native plant and pollinator conversation garden. The effort is part of a broader initiative to transform the neglected area into a safe and welcoming space for residents and visitors.
“This is a fantastic project,” said Cecile Carson, executive team leader at Keep California Beautiful, who praised the group’s innovative and environmentally conscious approach.
The area surrounding Promenade Park has faced issues in recent years, including illegal dumping, homelessness and drug use. The project aims to address these concerns by restoring natural beauty, supporting local businesses and creating a cleaner public space.
“For a while now, we have had these separate groups working on trash abatement and pollinator conservation in Lemon Grove,” Revitalize Broadway, co-chair Chelsea Gastelum said. “To be able to combine the two to create a beautiful space in the heart of our community is exciting.”
The project includes the installation of a native pollinator garden with milkweed and other plants to support monarch butterflies and other pollinators. Interpretive panels will educate the public about biodiversity, and a dry creek will be added.
Other improvements include graffiti removal, power washing, painting and the installation of new trash, recycling and cigarette disposal stations. Smoking receptacles will be placed outside smoke-free zones, and dog waste stations and anti-litter signage will promote cleanliness.
The public restroom structure, currently closed due to prior illegal activity, will be painted and prepared for a mural, with plans to reopen it during designated hours.
The effort builds on ongoing volunteer cleanups in the area. Between 50 and 100 volunteers are expected to participate, and the group will collaborate with local experts, including the San Diego chapter of Wild Ones, for ecological guidance.
“It is so rewarding to the volunteers who have shown up early in the morning every Tuesday for over three years to clean-up the Promenade Park and nearby streets, to now see other groups giving that same area attention and resources,” said Anne Stapleton, coordinator of a weekly Lemon Grove community clean-up. “No one group can revitalize the downtown area of Lemon Grove alone. It takes teamwork to make the dream work.”
Revitalized Broadway’s mission is to support economic opportunity and foster inclusive community engagement throughout the Broadway Corridor. The group plans to share project updates and before and after photos on social media.
