A year after being riddled with illicit activities, Lower Kinnear Park now offers a new kind of refuge, and Friends of Lower Kinnear Park (FOLKpark) intend to keep it that way.
FOLKpark, a volunteer group that started more than year ago, is hosting a Cleanup day Sept. 19 to continue their efforts of reactivating the park. So far, 25 volunteers are signed up for the event, which includes weeding, clearing invasive species and litter pick-up.
"We'll continue eradicating invasive species, remove trash. More than anything the day will get our neighbors to come to this resource in their community, get to know it and hopefully get them involved in working with us in a grassroots effort to help the park come into its own and reach its potential," said FOLKpark volunteer, Kay Rodriguez.
Apart from cleaning up the park, FOLKPark recently submitted a grant request to the City, asking for a landscape architect to work with the community to develop a comprehensive plan for the park.
Rodriguez hopes the grant will enable the community to determine what the park needs that it doesn't have and consider ways to link Lower Kinnear park with other urban parks in the city.
"Some things we're looking out to do is enhance trails, maybe have nature walks, improve lighting so it's accessible and safe and try to spruce up the tennis courts," Rodriguez added.
With the safety issues that plagued the park in the past diminished, FOLKPark is now looking at ways to reclaim and reactivate the park.
"The park is absolutely a different place from even a year ago," Rodriguez said. "The safety level in the park is quite good now and we want people to know that and to just go into the park and use it."
The Lower Kinnear Park Cleanup day goes from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19. Participants will meet at 8:45 a.m. at the Roy Street entrance to the park. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact philprahst@hotmail.com
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