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'Let's finish it!': Campaign continues for $3 million to complete African American Cultural Garden in Cleveland

The first phase was completed in 2016, but halted after that. Project leaders believe 'there are more than enough resources in our community to get this done.'

CLEVELAND — Riding along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, and it's hard to miss some of the beautiful displays at each of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens.

But when you get to the historical African American Cultural Garden, it seems bare, with a sign that says, "Let's finish it!"

"It's directed at the African American community, because this is our story," the garden's Executive Director Obie Shelton says. "Every ethnicity along Martin Luther King Drive has a story, and this is ours, and it's unique."

Shelton is leading the campaign to finish the project. The first phase was built in 2016, but has been halted ever since.

"It was the initial phase to kind of get the ball rolling," Shelton explained. "Mayor Frank Jackson invested a lot of city money to make sure it gone done."

The vision for the roughly $4 million design includes a 250-square-foot terrace with an engraving of the North Star to honor Ohio's role in both the Underground Railroad and Great Migration. The goal is to host an array of gatherings like weddings, family reunions, and even concerts with a symbolic water feature as the backdrop.

"We're going to have a waterfall that symbolizes the Atlantic Ocean, which was used for enslavement, but the water also symbolizes the Ohio River and the Great Lakes which were symbols of freedom," Shelton said.

So far, $1.4 million has been raised, leaving $3 million to go.

"We've gotten good support from foundations, the city, the county, and we're continuing to look to organizations," Shelton told 3News. "And I'm continuing to look to individuals, because my argument is, if we all pull together, there are more than enough resources in our community to get this done easily."

To donate or get involved in the campaign, visit the garden's website.

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