Since 2016, Franklinton Farms has stewarded the PK Memorial Learning Garden, growing it from a vacant lot to a lush garden filled with edible plants, a pollinator garden, and a community celebration space, and so much. In a neighborhood that is subject to rapid infill development, owning this land would allow Franklinton Farms to …

• Preserve community activist Patrick Kaufman’s legacy and secure this green space for generations to come.
• Improve mobility-friendly infrastructure by adding pathways and a restroom.
• Invest in more accessible community programming.

We urge the local government and stakeholders involved in these decisions to recognize the immense value that the PK Learning Garden brings to the Franklinton neighborhood. We call upon community members, local leaders, educators, and anyone who believes in the transformative power of communal green spaces to stand with us. 

Your signature can make all the difference in preserving this vital resource for the Franklinton community for generations to come.

An Urban Oasis…

Tucked in the heart of Franklinton, at the corner of Hawkes Ave and Town St, sits a garden. Since 2016, the Patrick Kaufman Memorial Learning Garden has grown from a vacant lot to Franklinton’s very own “secret garden”. It is not uncommon to see this space humming with the happy traffic of bees and neighborhood children, feasting on its wild abundance in the midst of Franklinton.

A Place for Learning and Healing…

A place for learning and healing, community organizers use the PK Learning Garden as a meeting place that provides an immersive experience designed around ecotherapy and biodiverse urban agriculture. Twice a year, it is home to community festivals. In the summertime, neighbors gather together for tea parties, wellness classes, educational programs, plant swaps and more.

A Legacy of Stewardship …

Located in one of the most historically underserved districts of Columbus, Franklinton Farms began stewarding the 1/3rd acre as part of a program to repurpose vacant parcels into community-driven spaces. The Patrick Kaufman Memorial Learning Garden commemorates the life and legacy of community activist and Franklinton Farms co-founder Patrick Kaufman.

Over the course of ten years, the neighborhood has invested countless volunteer hours into developing the PK Learning Garden into the vibrant hub of urban agriculture, education, and neighborhood resilience that it is today. A few recent  quotes from past collaborators exhibit this unique collaboration:

"Personally, I loved the feeling of having a sacred place within a community that is dedicated to inviting in and teaching others about plants and our food system. It’s great to see the remnants of past programming throughout the garden as well as seeing the potential for future uses.” 

- Graduate Student of The Ohio State College of Social Work involved in the Roots of Recovery Therapeutic Horticulture Program for/with survivors of sex trafficking at the PK Learning Garden (Spring 2026)

“The Learning Garden gave the survivors a chance to reclaim peace and hope in a part of the city that used to bring memories of the exploitation. Now, they have memories of fresh food and new friendships.”

- Co-facilitator, Roots of Recovery Pilot Program, Ecotherapist, worked for a neighborhood organization for many years.

The 30-Day Risk…

Ten years ago, when the City of Columbus supported Franklinton Farms' vision to build the Learning Garden through the Parcels to Places program, they offered a 1-year lease with a 30-day termination notice. In 10 years we have been unable to negotiate better terms that ensure the garden’s long term protection, even though the garden is a major success! With no pathways to buying the land, the legacy of the PK Learning Garden is vulnerable to being lost as Franklinton, and gardens like these, are redeveloped to accommodate the neighborhood’s burgeoning population.

Putting a Price on Community…

At Franklinton Farms, we see this land as countless opportunities to enrich lives and foster community spirit. Across the country, green spaces like the PK Learning Garden are associated with improved social cohesiveness, mental and physical health, property values, crime rates, and more.  We know that we must take a stand to keep this vital asset in the hands of the community.

We know that we must take a stand to keep this vital asset in the hands of the community.

Here’s What We’re Doing

We are striving to negotiate deeded ownership, where the City deeds the garden to Franklinton Farms with a Right of Reversion within the deed so that the ownership reverts to the City if ever Franklinton Farms stops providing adequate community benefit.

Our efforts thus far in this campaign include:

• Since Fall 2025: We have made multiple asks to the Department of Development’s Division of Real Estate and Land Redevelopment for deeded ownership, but they have declined to advance the concept.
• March 2026: The Franklinton Area Commission signed off on a letter of support that urges the City of Columbus to transfer the Deed to Franklinton Farms with a Right of Reversion that allows the City the land back should Franklinton Farms cease to provide community benefit.
• March 2026 - Present: Direct conversation across Columbus City Council asking them to supports FF’s ownership of the Learning Garden, with positive reception from CM Wyche, CM Ross, CM Green, CM, Day-Achauer, and CM Bankston
• October 2026: The City of Columbus Office of the Mayor communicated with the Division of Real Estate and Land Redevelopment to discuss the need for better protections for the Learning Garden 

As stewards of this plot of land since 2016, we at Franklinton Farms envision a future where the PK Learning Garden is an even more accessible space for community members of all ages and ability levels. As we approach our 20th year of serving the Franklinton neighborhood, we are committed to protecting this urban oasis for generations to come.