Volunteers with the Friends of Pennypack Park removed 84 bags of trash, six bags of recyclable cans and numerous other loose items from the park in two cleanup events on May 28 and June 25.
On the more recent date, 22 workers cleaned the area of the park along Rowland Avenue from Solly Avenue to Welsh Road and from Welsh Road to Rhawn Street, along with nearby dirt and bike paths and new tree-planting areas.
The volunteers included Jim and Sandy Stewart, Tim and Jeanette Scanlan, Bob McMunn, Alan Ostrow, Roland Williams, Joanne Becker, Linda Davies, Krystle and Julenna Walsh, Karen Kaczorek, Andrew Puzdrak, David Dlugosz, Renee Cohen, Jim Ryan, Jim Smyth, Kevin Sweetra, Joyce Ferrero, Sheila Grossman, Florence Brodman and Nance Kerns.
In addition to removing trash, volunteers learned that a set of public restrooms in the park had been vandalized and found the resulting debris nearby, including three sinks, dozens of pieces of cinderblock, two doors with metal grates, a section of a urinal and a toilet seat.
Volunteers also found that a neighbor of the park had placed several trash cans along Cresco Avenue in an effort to encourage park users to stop littering. The cans were not bought or placed by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.
On the May date, which coincided with Memorial Day weekend, volunteers covered the Sandy Run, Upper Rhawn Street Bridge, Lincoln High School and Meehan Middle School areas. They included Grace, Johanna, Matthew, Mike and Lida Hiegl; Jackie Olson; Betty Landolfi; Giana, Dominic and Jason Lucini; Caitlin, Susan, Tom and Andrew Scotarczak; Ryan Florek; Olena Dudych; Leona, Lorenzo, Selena, Juliana and Antonio Donado; Sondra Greenberg; George Scholl; Audrey Walmsley; Mary Jane Roberts; Bill Henderson; and Kevin Sweetra, along with many of the June participants.
The next organized park cleanup will be on Saturday, July 23, at Frankford and Solly avenues, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The public is welcome to participate. Volunteers should wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.
The Friends of Pennypack Park will supply tools, snacks and refreshments.
In case of rain or extreme heat, call 215–934-PARK for updated information. ••
