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[title]When it comes to community gardening, green living and Chicago’s parks, Kirsten Akre knows more than a thing or two. Volunteerism brought her to the Windy City nearly 20 years ago to work with Bethel New Life and its new recycling center. “I grew up in Montana and went to college in Iowa, and I’m used to being outside,” she says. She soon found her niche in the community gardening movement and prairie restoration at what is now the Peggy Notebaert Museum. “Every weekend I got to help people set up community gardens,” she recalls. “These community garden movements have been important for me not only professionally, but it’s how I met my husband.”
A few jobs later and Akre is now a floraculturalist at the Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse on the city’s Northwest Side, improving and expanding the gardens while creating programs and events for families and children. Built in 1928, the Greenhouse has gotten a second wind as a facility for kids to learn about where their food comes from and how to prepare healthy meals from the produce they’ve grown. Akre wants to instill these values of green living in her eight-year-old and four-year-old while minimizing the carbon footprint she creates by making the trek from her home in Hyde Park to Kilbourn Park. Some of her favorite green places and activities include:
Experimental Station
Located in Hyde Park, this facility houses Blackstone Bicycle Works where you can get used bikes, a Saturday farmers’ market and several artistic and cultural events. “It’s a community of people that are environmentally focused,” Akre says. On Saturdays, Akre enjoys showing her kids around the market, stopping at the beehive and the chickens; they get a thrill picking out their favorite products, meaning they're more likely to eat their vegetables once they get them home.
Experimental Station, 6100 S Blackstone Ave (773-241-6044, experimentalstation.org).
SHOP, Southside Hub of Production
Family events, movie nights, art exhibits: There’s always something happening at SHOP, which helps her kids feel part of the community. “It’s kind of similar to Experimental Station,” Akre explains. “SHOP is at the very beginning trying to do that model. They have local artists and vendors renting space.”
SHOP, 5638 S Woodlawn Ave (info.southsidehub@gmail.com, southsidehub.org). Wed 11am–9pm, Sat 11am–6pm, Sun noon–9pm.
Hyde Park Art Center
For an afternoon of fun with her kids, Akre tries to keep it local so she's not burning fossil fuels, and so this local option fits the bill. “If you live in Hyde Park, you’re almost destined to see someone you know,” Akre says of this art center. Her favorite part is the free family fun on the second Sunday of the month with different activities set up in three rooms. “They’re really laid back and they encourage creativity.”
Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S Cornell Ave (773-324-5520, hydeparkart.org). Mon–Thu 9am–8pm; Fri, Sat 9am–5pm; Sun noon–5pm, free.
Garfield Park Conservatory
Before working at Kilbourn Park, Akre coordinated the volunteer program at this nature conversatory. And she can’t praise this facility enough, from its community gardening history to its family programs. During summer, the demonstration garden out back offers info on raising organic veggies, composting and more.
Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N Central Park Ave (312-746-5100, garfield-conservatory.org). Open daily 9am–5pm, Wed 9am–8pm; free
Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse
Akre admits her list would not be complete without naming Kilbourn Park. “My kids love Kilbourn Park and its events,” she says. Not only do her kids participate in the events, but her eight-year-old daughter has been taking part since she was two and even volunteers on days off from school. Akre’s greatest thrill is hearing the kids refer to the community gardens as “their” garden. Catch its big organic plant sale on May 19 and 20 this year.
Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse, 3501 N Kilbourn Ave (773-685-3359, chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/Kilbourn-Park). Tue–Sat, hours vary with the season.