MANSFIELD — Kingdom Grace Fellowship Church on Reba Avenue is cleaning up two nearby vacant lots that it purchased from the Richland County Land Bank.
“We are very committed to this neighborhood,” said Senior Pastor Renea Collins. “We know that there are a lot of challenges over here and so we want to do what we can to improve the neighborhood and give the residents of this area something that they can be really proud of.”
Collins became aware of the properties — at 478 S. Main St. and 53 Gibson Ave. — via Amy Hamrick, land bank administrator.
The land bank is a nonprofit, government-purposed entity that endeavors to strategically acquire properties, return them to productive use, reduce blight, increase property values, support community goals and improve the quality of life for county residents.
Since its inception three years ago, the county land bank has played a significant role in helping reduce blight, especially within Mansfield.
Take Michael and Laurie Wheeler, for instance, who renovated a home on Rowland Avenue purchased from the land bank. And then there’s Rex’s Landscaping and Construction, which made drastic improvements to the former Petersen Tire property.
The list goes on and on.
People interested in purchasing a land bank property must turn in application, which will then need to be processed and approved by the board.
After completing the necessary paperwork and paying a nominal fee, Kingdom Grace Fellowship Church was able to obtain the South Main Street and Gibson Avenue properties from the land bank.
Collins said it was up to the church staff to determine what would become of the lots.
“We decided to convert it into something pretty, so we chose to turn it into a park,” Collins said of the Main Street lot.
Rex’s Landscaping and Construction donated trees and shrubbery and helped with the landscaping at no cost, Collins said.
“We’re really excited about it,” Collins said. “And the neighbors love it.”
It wasn’t long after the project’s completion last fall that local residents voiced their appreciation to the church for helping beautify the neighborhood, she said. Months later, the church continues to maintain the “park” and has begun drafting a plan for its other lot on Gibson Avenue.
“We’re in the process of deciding what we want to do there,” Collins said.
One idea is to use the area to grow a community garden that would be shared with Prospect Elementary School.
“So many kids don’t know where food comes from, so this could be a great teaching opportunity for them,” she said.
Collins is glad the church can help make an impact and wants community members to know it’s “here for the long haul,” she said.
“We’re all about making a positive difference in the community and giving the community something they can feel good about, be proud of,” she said.
