Volunteers Brave Cold to Support Park
First Time a Charm for Cleanup Effort
Despite starting temperatures in the 30s, over 60 volunteers turned out to give Boone Park South (the portion between Herschel Street and St. John’s Avenue) its first good cleaning and clearing in many years on Love Boone Park Day, Feb. 14.
“We really had a successful day,” said organizer Pamela Telis. “The volunteers were incredibly hard working and many said they walk the park often and were so happy to see the park get some much needed attention. It was almost unanimous that we need to do it regularly several times a year.”
Neighbors of all ages turned out with support from Greenscape of Jacksonville Inc., the JEA, Riverside Avondale Preservation, the City of Jacksonville, the University of Florida IFAS, and the Florida Forest Service to pick up branches, clear weeds, trim shrubs and plant 51 trees and bushes of varying types and sizes on 10 acres of canopied park.
“It was a wonderful day; the weather went from cold to perfect, the families enjoyed taking care of ‘their’ park and the park received some much needed TLC,” said Anna Dooley, Greenscape executive director. “I commend the neighborhood activists for their work in organizing and hope Greenscape can return to be involved in this wonderful community.”