CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Organizers and local leaders will celebrate a newly constructed community hub on the city's Southwest Side with a ribbon cutting on Tuesday and an open house later this month.
Tuesday’s celebration will mark the completion of the $53 million first phase of construction, though Cultivate Collective technically opened its doors earlier this month. The site, located on what was once the Chicago Housing Authority's LeClaire Courts, will house the Academy for Global Citizenship’s existing K – 8 public school, an early childhood center, a community health care center, a three-acre urban farm, a neighborhood marketplace and more.
Sarah Elizabeth Ippel, Cultivate Collective’s CEO and the founder of the Academy for Global Citizenship, said the site is in an area that’s lacked access to a lot of resources for decades.
“In order for communities to thrive, they need access to healthcare,” she told WBBM. “They need access to economic opportunity. They need access to fresh food, and access to high-quality early learning, and public education.”
Ippel said the new community hub will bring all of that together in one location, and their mission is clear.
“Integrating multi-generational learning pathways, environmental sustainability, health and wellness, and economic vitality to drive generational impact,” she said.
Cultivate Collective President Niquenya Collins said in a press release that her family has lived in the LeClaire Courts neighborhood for five generations. Collins added that her family has to drive 15 minutes to access basic necessities.
In addition to providing what Collins described as “essential services and amenities,” she said the development would “provide a gathering point for our residents.”
The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, and the open house will take place from 5 – 8 p.m. on Oct. 18. The site is located at 4942 W. 44th Street.
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