The 2017 “Love Your Park” week kicks off on Saturday, May 13 with a Spring Service Day, and many residents have already registered to help clean up and beautify parks across the city. A lot more volunteers are needed. Here are some volunteer opportunities available in West Philadelphia:

Cedar Park
When: 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Where: S. 49th & Catharine Sts
What: Volunteers of all ages are welcome. Help is needed planting annuals and perennials as well as pruning garden bushes. (On May 19 from 6-8 p.m., join Cedar Park Neighbors for a Bring Your Own Picnic in the park)
Register to volunteer.  Continue Reading

Sad news came in from The Woodlands Cemetery recently: Despite all the efforts to save the four remaining elms of the Grove of Seven Giants, the trees eventually succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease, and The Woodlands personnel began the process of de-limbing the historic grove that dates back to the Hamilton Era. Tree experts believe that this was the only remaining Elm grove of its kind in the country, according to a blog post on The Woodlands website.

The first signs of Dutch elm disease on some of the trees were discovered in May 2014, and testing confirmed the infection. After that The Woodlands began inoculating the remaining elms in an attempt to keep them free of the disease, but unfortunately, the trees could not be saved.  Continue Reading

“Love Your Park” Fall Service Day 2016 at Malcolm X Park. (Photo by Albert Yee)

An historic turnout was reported at this year’s “Love Your Park” Fall Service Day.

This past weekend the highest number of volunteers registered for “LOVE Your Park” to date, according to Philadelphia Parks & Rec, the event organizers. 2,129 volunteers showed up at 90 parks throughout the city to plant trees, rake leaves, pick up trash and prepare these green spaces for winter.

This year, West Philly’s Malcolm X Park was chosen as a signature”Love Your Park” site. Mayor Jim Kenney and other city officials were at the park supporting the volunteers.

Runners and walkers who regularly visit the historic Woodlands cemetery and mansion grounds will be happy to know that a new water fountain near the running path will be installed in the next few weeks. This became possible thanks to the success of last year’s Gobble Wobble 5K Run. This year’s Gobble Wobble, which has become an annual fundraising event for The Woodlands, will be held this Saturday (Nov. 12), and all proceeds will continue to go toward improving amenities on the grounds.

                            Click to enlarge

Registration for this event is still open (go here to register, $40 per person or team), and participants will receive a custom Gobble Wobble pint glass, a year long membership to The Woodlands, and the chance to win a Thanksgiving turkey or “tofurkey” from Mariposa Food Co-op. Clarkville is also sponsoring the race with beer at the finish line for all the runners.

The race starts at 10 a.m., and on-site registration opens at 9:00 a.m. If you’re not planning to run, you can also consider donating. For more information, go here.

And here’s some more exciting news from The Woodlands: Regular visitors may have noticed some construction work happening on the grounds and also near the Hamilton Mansion.  Continue Reading

The annual “Love Your Park” Fall Service Day is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 12, and Philadelphia Parks and Rec is now recruiting volunteers who can help clean, green and celebrate Philly’s parks. Overall, 2,000 volunteers are needed to help plant trees, collect leaves for compost, clean up trash and litter, and more.

There are many beautiful parks in West Philly, and volunteers can sign up to participate in the fall service day in their neighborhood park. Kids, families and large groups are welcome.

Go to loveyourpark.org or call (215) 683-3689 for participating parks and to register.

The northern section of Clark Park at 43rd and Baltimore (Clark Park “A”) has been under construction this week. The work includes installation of long-awaited permanent chess tables to “replace the ratty units the players now employ,” according to the Friends of Clark Park website, and restoration of the layer of gravel that covers the plaza, which hasn’t been updated since 2009.

A rough estimate of the cost of this project is $15,000, and the funding became possible thanks to Friends of Clark Park membership dollars.

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