200K grant program helps plant city greening ideas

$200K grant program helps plant city greening ideasAdelaide City Council is celebrating the Green City Grants Program’s first round of successful applicants, and will provide an extra $100,000 worth of funding to encourage more residents, businesses and property owners to ‘go green’.Grants meeting up to per cent of the cost of eligible greening projects start at $0 for residents and $1,000 for businesses and property owners, up to a maximum grant of $10,000.As part of its ambition to be listed in the top three most liveable cities in the world by 2020, the City of Adelaide launched the exciting new program in September. Potential projects include living walls, green facades, vertical gardens, greenery that cascades over balconies, vines and climbers on verandahs or other structures, and the upgrade of existing verge gardens, with applicants encouraged to be as creative as possible.Applications for grant funding are welcomed from all areas of the city; however preference is given to projects in locations with little to no greenery, projects that are especially creative or innovative proposals that will provide a significant amount of greenery once fully grown.Lord Mayor Martin Haese said the program offers a great opportunity for residents and businesses to benefit from the creation of their own patch of greenery, including a greater street presence and a more attractive and pleasant experience.”It’s the first time Council has offered a grant of this type and the response indicates that the city residents and businesses are very enthusiastic about finding ways to help green their neighbourhoods,” said Martin.”We strongly encourage potential applicants to register their interest for next year’s round and we’re delighted to announce an extra $100,000 worth of funding due to the community’s enthusiasm for the scheme.”Successful applicants have demonstrated how greening can be successfully achieved from the single residential property to larger commercial buildings.”The success of the Green City Grant Program represents a collaborative approach and shows how Council is working together with the community and business to create a greener, more sustainable city.”Some fantastic greening ideas have been put forward so far including:Large, ivy-filled window boxes on newly restored State Heritage-listed Darling Building on Franklin StA wall of herbs on the front wall of a residential property on Charlotte PlaceA topiary screen outside Phat Buddha on Flinders StA green wall alongside the new Jack Greens on James PlaceJasmine climbing up and cascading down residential properties on both Gray and Wright StreetsThe 17 greening proposals submitted for grant funding represent a greening investment of more than $80,000.Once completed, these projects will demonstrate to others what the individual resident, business or building owner can achieve and so encourage others to follow suit.The program will help Council achieve one of its key 2016-20 Strategic Plan goals of increasing the amount of green space and greenery in the built-up areas of the city by 100,000 square metres over the next four years.Green City Grant ProgramCouncil has now allocated a total of $200,000 to this project through the Greener Streets Program in the 2016/17 Business Plan & Budget.The second funding round for the Green City Grant Program will open in February 2017.See www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/greencitygrants for details.In the meantime, potential applicants are invited to register interest via email: [email protected] greening projects must be visible from a street or other public place and complement the character of the surrounding area.The / shared funding arrangement effectively doubles the investment in efforts to increase city greenery.Council is committed to working with members of the business and residential community on innovative greening ideas that will help increase the level of greening in the city.