Community Efforts in Englewood Face Challenges from Illegal Dumping

David Bippes recently visited a plot of land in Englewood with his parents, eager to show them his latest community project. As an Eagle Scout with a longstanding passion for community gardens, Bippes now plays a key role in Litter Caterpillars, a volunteer cleanup organization in Chicago.

Last year, Bippes and three fellow leaders purchased a vacant lot through a citywide land auction, transforming it into a local green space. Their efforts turned the 6,000-square-foot area into a park with mulch, raised garden beds for tomatoes, and native Illinois plants like prairie grasses and yellow coneflowers. They celebrated the park’s opening on April 12.

However, the situation took a turn when Bippes found piles of landscaping debris on the property a week later. Some piles even blocked the sidewalk, complicating their mission to reduce litter. Bippes and co-founder Kevin Tao remain unsure about who is responsible, and the incidents have strained their efforts to gain community trust. Repeated illegal dumping poses challenges to both their community integration and park maintenance.

The project began when the Litter Caterpillars acquired two adjacent lots for $10,000 at a citywide auction. Organized by investment company Hilco, the auction featured over 800 vacant parcels in Chicago’s South and West sides. Bippes and his team spent an additional $10,000 on improvements, including plants and landscaping. They named the plot Caterpillar Park to reflect their mission of transforming spaces.

Bippes described their work as an evolving project. “We’ve been figuring out how to build a park for the first time,” he noted. The group’s four founders juggle full-time jobs while undertaking this effort. Bippes works in consulting, and Tao assists in his family’s business.

The distance between organizers and the community poses another challenge. Bippes lives an hour from the park, raising sustainability concerns among local urban farming groups. Although the Litter Caterpillars visit every other weekend, the park requires constant maintenance, making local community involvement crucial.

Dulce Morales, a neighboring community garden co-founder, emphasized the importance of consistent attention. Tao, a former volunteer and donor at her garden, sought advice from Morales on gaining community support for Caterpillar Park. Bippes and Tao aspire to make the park a community garden but need strong local involvement.

Bippes acknowledged that starting and maintaining a community garden is daunting, given the group’s distance from the park. Efforts to build neighborhood connections include distributing flyers and interacting with residents. However, illegal dumping complicates these initiatives, with some neighbors mistakenly associating debris with the group.

Morales noted that community support can drastically reduce break-ins and misuse, evidenced by her own garden’s reduced incidents. Tao and Bippes continue to address the illegal dumping issues. Bippes filed multiple requests with the city to remove debris and prevent further dumping. Despite challenges, they stay committed to keeping the park a beneficial community space. Their recent social media efforts drew attention, prompting the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation to act on debris removal.

Former Englewood resident Roosevelt Gordon supported the project with the hope that it serves current residents. He envisioned the park as a learning space for children in horticulture and farming. Bippes expressed a desire to engage with those responsible for the dumping, suggesting that they might align with the park’s mission.