Rochester, NY – March 14, 2019 – We are pleased to announce that the Swillburg Neighborhood has been chosen as a recipient of The NeighborGood grant through the Community Foundation. Rochester Area Community Foundation, in partnership with generous philanthropists and community partners, works to improve the quality of life for people who live and work in the eight-county region through its leadership and strategic grantmaking. The NeighborGood grant is awarded to help resident-controlled, neighborhood-based organizations in the City of Rochester involve citizens in improving the quality of life in their neighborhoods.
The Swillburg neighborhood is a cozy, active, triangular shaped twenty-block community in Rochester, New York. The neighborhood, home to dedicated and caring residents, is bordered by Field Street, South Clinton Avenue, Meigs Street, and I-490. The charming, narrow streets and natural mixture of homes and businesses offer the feel of a village with the convenience of city living.
The Swillburg Neighborhood Association (SNA) was formed following the 1975 defeat of a proposed extension of the interstate highway, I-390, which would have traversed and destroyed the heart of Swillburg. Since then, the SNA has continued as a neighborhood advocacy group, under the fiduciary umbrella of the South East Area Coalition. The SNA played a role in building the Otto Henderberg Park on Fountain Street in the 1980s.
In 1995 the SNA erected a “Welcome to Swillburg” sign using grant funds, and in the early 2000s the organization secured funding for art panels depicting neighborhood history along Pembroke Street. More recently, in 2015, the SNA secured grant money for a community garden project at School 35. The SNA has continued to collectivize neighbors in recreational and preservation projects, especially garden projects to beautify our community.
Money received from the NeighborGood grant will help to revitalize Otto Henderberg Park. Neighbors and the Rotary Club will power wash, repair and stain the gazebo, paint benches, trim bushes and landscape the park. To assist our residents in keeping the community clean the SNA will install 4 dog waste stations with compostable bags in the neighborhood and use our social media to encourage their use.
The SNA organizes multiple neighborhood social activities to promote community and neighborhood identity. Visit our website www.swillburg.com to learn more about the neighborhood and to buy merchandise which supports the neighborhood.
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Swillburg Neighborhood 