GIANT LEAF-SUCKING TRUCK, Ribbon Cutting, and History Walks - It's LOVE YOUR PARK 2013

As you may know, we here at Pennsporter are huge fans of the community coming together to help out and beautify the neighborhood. You may remember we recently highlighted the work being done at Manton Street Park & Community Garden - it's awesome, check it out.  The Pennsport area is blessed with amazing amounts of green space. The people who actively maintain these spaces should be applauded. Our guess is that they don't want applause, but rather for you to consider lending a hand.

LOVE YOUR PARK? You've got some choices this Saturday

Enter LOVE YOUR PARK Week from the Fairmount Parks Conservancy and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. Starting Saturday, November 16th, it's an entire week of celebrating the parks in the city (and your area) and a call to get involved - so head on over to the volunteer page, throw on your old pair of jeans, and grab a shovel because you've got yourself plenty of options in Pennsport to do just that.

Here is a list of what's happening on Saturday:

• Dickinson Square Park: GIANT LEAF SUCKING TRUCK

Giant Leaf Sucking Truck, no lie! (via Friends of Dickinson Square Park Facebook Page)

From 9am to 1230pm, volunteers will be helping the Friends of Dickinson Square Park clean up the park. Here is an excerpt from the email, masterfully written by Bob of the "Friends" group: 

"And for the 4th year in a row.....

GIANT LEAF SUCKING TRUCK!

Yes, this great and mighty and outstanding machine will return to the Park once again.  The GIANT LEAF SUCKING TRUCK is our friend.  All we need to do is to rake the leaves onto tarps, and drag them to the sidewalk on Moyamensing Avenue where the you-know-what will work the magic.  

GIANT LEAF SUCKING TRUCK!!!!!"

• Manton Street Park & Community Garden: Ribbon Cutting Event and Party

The Ribbon Cutting, with speeches from Mayor Nutter and Councilman Mark Squilla, will take place from 1215pm to 1pm. An impressive block party will follow from 1pm to 3pm featuring Federal Donuts, Guerilla Ultima, games, entertainers, and more.  

From Mark Berman:

"We all met at the vacant lot where the park is now, in June 2011, and continued to meet every week without fail for about 5 months straight, in the evening, with shovels, spades, clippers, brooms, axes and a power washer. We enlisted the help of neighborhood kids; old timers and newcomers worked side by side to remove piles of dirt, a carpet of ivy, glass bottles and demolition debris."

  

• Washington Avenue Green: History Walk, Park Cleanup, and Birding Event

The event at "WAG" kicks off at 10am with Susan McAninley leading the group on an "Autumn Walk" on the trail. As you know, the trail is going to see some major (read: wonderful) changes in the next year or so - get a first-look before construction begins. Also, if you're in to briding, you won't want to miss this one.

Here is the agenda:

Image via Susan McAninley

• Howard Street Park: Clean up the best kept secret in Pennsport

When you think of parks in Pennsport, it's usually Dickinson or Jefferson Square that come to mind. As you well know, Pennsport has some incredible "pocket parks" - one being Manton Street Park. While Titan Park has been in the news a lot recently, it's Howard Street Park that's been impeccably maintained and it actually, you know, a park (no offense Titan Street). 

Come on out and help out Howard Street Park with some leaf raking, general clean up and bulb planting from 11am to 1230pm. Look for it on Reed Street between Front and Second Streets - you'll be glad you did!

 

 

Image via, well, Pennsporter