MS13 gang graffiti on park fountain.
(Photo: Maria Pellum.)
Moved by pictures of conditions in Plainfield's Library Park posted by fellow blogger Maria Pellum (see here), longtime city activist and Library supporter Rebecca Williams responded by rallying others for a community cleanup effort this Saturday morning.
"The Plainfield Public Library is one of the city's gems, visited by many who don't live in Plainfield, and the condition of the park doesn't always give visitors a very good impression," said Williams.
After reading Pellum's post and writing a comment (the first), Williams decided something could be done and reached out to her wide network of friends and contacts in the community (see her blog post here).
The City's Division of Public Works will supply gloves, rakes and bags for volunteers on Saturday AM, and arrangements have been made with the PMUA to pick up the bags of refuse.
"We'll gather at the fountain at 10:00 AM to get started," Williams said, "and just work until the park is totally picked up."
Nancy Fiske, Van Wyck Brooks Historic District member and owner of The Pillars bed-and-breakfast advises that volunteers from the historic district will also be out in force on Saturday, May 15, to spruce up and replant the deorative planters spaced along Library Park's perimeter.
Library Park Community Cleanup
Saturday | May 8
10 AM 'til done
Gather at the Fountain
Gloves, rakes and bags will be supplied
- Maria's Blog: "Library Park needs advocates"
- Rebecca's Blog: "Library Park cleanup Saturday, May 8"
-- Dan Damon [follow]
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11 comments:
But who's going to replace the lighting in the library's main parking lot, the true gateway to the library? All of the lights have been vandalized, which makes the parking lot unsafe at night and look like a war zone during the day.
Mayor Mc williams had a few ladies who headed a beautification committee what happened to them? They always kept downtown and south ave full of plants and flowers. My family took part several times when they had community clean ups, although I think people should show recpect for themselves and their neighbors and keep their own neighborhoods clean.If everyone kept their property clean and free of litter we would again be the clean Queen City.
Where has puplic works been? Why have they let the park get in such bad shape? Why does it take citizens to clean up a park when we have a tax paying public works dept? Didnt the fountain once have 3 bowls? Maybe the park should install cameras so we can catch the dirty dogs who trash the park!
Dan: You didn't mention the recreational beverage enthusiasts who also make the park less than attractive for other visitors.
Library park is a "hangout" during the day and menacing at night - especially when the weather gets warm.
Is there a way to lobby the police department to have an officer patrol the park to control the undesirable activities?
My taxes continue to increase, but services continue to diminish. It appears as though the mayor's ability to govern effectively is spotty at best.
Perhaps the most efficient thing to do is to admit that the department of public works is incompetant to do their job and create a "Friends of Library Park". It worked for Bryant Park in NYC.....
...No longer silent in the center.....
Would love to help...and that is serious. But, have not been to see my parents since January and it's Mother's Day weekend. I am stunned though at the commentary regarding the "drinkers" at the park...the only people I see are drinking from brown paper bags....no alcohol bottles...It's too bad we couldn't distinguish those people drinking Pepsi from a bottle in a brown paper bag from those who are openly drinking alcohol...If only there were a way to find the people drinking alcohol in public...hmmm...if only, if only. Damn...I'm still thinking...anyone have an idea how to find these drinkers ?? Then we could tell the cops how to find them !!! Let's all work together on this.
Funny how the park got "cleaned up" a bit after Rebecca Williams started the ball rolling in a community effort. Way to circumvent grassroots participation! She must have some strong mojo! If she can get the city to do its job this way without being on the city council, imagine what she will do when elected!Go Rebecca!
Where are the Police and the Public school Public Safety Director? Shouldnt they be checking out the Library Park? How much money could the City make if the Police arrested the public drinkers and issued tickets for people who litter.The school kids should have to clean up the park that they littered, and maybe then they would not litter anymore
Why don't e make these scumbags that get arrested clean up the parks as part of there punishment.
When the police don't stop groups of people drinking DIRECTLY ACROSS WATCHUNG AVENUE in that alley facing the front of the their building and at the train station I don't hold much hope that they somehow can stop public drinking at Library Park. Again..if only we could figure out the people who were drinking at the park and disturbing the nice people enjoying their Diet Pepsi's in the tall brown paper bags...the mysteries that confound us sometimes... ( Maybe the people drinking out of the brown paper bags could point out WHO are the ones drinking alcohol in the park !! .. I knew we could come up with a solution )
Will Burney and his supporters join in to clean up Plainfield???
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