Six Park “Friends Groups” identify common needs and start a budding cohort.
This month, The Trust for Public Land and your Saint Paul Parks Conservancy hosted the first gathering of park “friends groups” at Frogtown Community Center. Friends of Upper Landing, Mears Park, Pedro Park, Wacouta Commons Park, Swede Hollow and Midway Peace Park, as well as leadership from District Council 10 Como Park shared a lively supper and talked fundraising, fiscal agents, infrastructure, park safety, rogue gardening and yes…squirrels.
Through the support of the 10 Minute Walk Partnership Fund and the McNeely Foundation, The Trust for Public Land was able to create a cohort of six Saint Paul district councils.
Each district council was regranted $10,000, which could be allocated towards staff time, engagement activities, small park improvements, and other expenses such as office supplies, printing, and travel.
The work of the cohort emphasized the role of park champions and called or greater support of the volunteer groups who support park maintenance, programming, safety, beautification, fundraising, and communication efforts.
With community need far exceeding existing public resources, the city and its parks would benefit from a system of strong community-led stewardship or “friends of” groups.
While some stewardship groups currently exist within St. Paul, it would behoove residents and city staff if a streamlined and structured system was created that provided resident volunteers the support necessary to establish and maintain successful park champion groups while leveraging city resources and avoiding potential conflicts.
With additional resources, The Trust for Public Land (TPL) and your Saint Paul Parks Conservancy could serve as supportive non-government organizations helping groups establish themselves and become stronger.
TPL and the Conservancy will process all the ideas and needs generated at this inaugural meeting and reconvene the group this January via Zoom.
Contact us if you would like to learn more and participate in the next gathering!