Community Mulch Day, Recap by Doug Wood

COMMUNITY MULCH RECAP
by Doug Wood of the Wicker Park Garden Club

Chicago Park District DNR Staff (Adam Schwerner, Chris Krieger, John Shostack, and others ), John Davidson-WPark Supervisor,
VOLUNTEER GROUPS and Collaborating Organizations: Urban Encounter, Property Consultants, Missio dei Chicago, Harvest Bible Chapel, Wicker Park Garden Club members, Friends of the Parks, 32nd Ward Alderman Waguespack, WPB-SSA#33-Chamber, Wicker Park and Bucktown Neighbors, Pipeline,

What a great success - People came together to do something for the trees and the Park patrons- and at the same time - Everyone Experienced a great community Social.

Thank you all for working together for BIG MULCH DAY to:
Promote (Waguespack, WPB-SSA#33-Chamber, Pipeline, WPGarden)
Provide Mulch and Tools (Park District DNR Staff) -SPECIAL THANKS for dumping mulch in requested sites.
Volunteers - 62 volunteers- (Urban Encounter, Property Consultants, Missio dei Chicago, Harvest Bible Chapel, WPGarden, Neighbors), Wicker Park & Bucktown Neighbors
Gloves (Friends of the Parks-received for our Earth Day-Mulch Events)
Tables-Electric-Early Entrance - 8:30am (John Davidson - WPark Staff)
Food (WPGarden - coffee-water-bagels-etc)
CREATE A GREAT Social- Work event - Many new friends were made from Working Together.

WEST SIDE Ready for Summer Events - We are ready for the Farmer's Market, music concerts, information tables, and other Events that may be scheduled. More trees along Schiller and Wicker Park Ave need more mulch-east of the fountain.

PLAYGROUND - Many of the huge mud patches near council ring-trees-west side where grass died are now mulched. Parents say thanks-cleaner kids - Kids say - we like mud. More mulch is needed along Wicker Park Ave mud area.

BACKFILL at Damen/Schiller - The Entrance to the park is backfilled and mulched - the two parkways need more soil and grass.

Special Treatment for 5 hemlocks and 4 hawthorns - all received compost; hemlocks mulched with pine bark mulch - purchased by WPGarden- and more bind weed removed from fountain area.

RATS - Chicago's Rat Abatement Team began WORKING to remove rats from Parks - met with me earlier in the Week. They are now on a weekly rat abatement schedule.

URNS - Summer Annuals were purchased for the urns (purchased in 2007 by WPBSSA#33) and planted this week.

AGAIN - Thank you for working together to make an EVEN BETTER PARK.

by Doug Wood