McKinley Park Existing Conditions Report

Numerous community-led beautification initiatives exist throughout McKinley Park, as community members are passionate about protecting and maintain the natural resources of their neighborhood. The McKinley Park Advisory Council organizes stewardship days, which offer volunteers an opportunity to beautify McKinley Park through activates like trail maintenance, controlling invasive species and planting new species throughout the park. One of the neighborhood’s newest initiatives is the McKinley Community Play Garden, conveniently located behind the public library. The play garden was created in collaboration with Neighbor Space, and offers a community gathering area with nature-focused play for children. Another initiative is the 24-plot community garden on the northeast corner of the McKinley Park grounds, which offers a place for neighborhood gardeners to come together and turn the plots into a productive landscape. A Farmers Market, sponsored by the McKinley Park Advisory Council, also takes place on the McKinley Park grounds from June to September. The market creates an alternative marketplace by providing residents with access to fresh produce, in order to enhance the neighborhood’s quality of life.

Aside from initiatives that focus on bringing community members together, several projects also have a potential impact on stormwater management. One of these projects is the recent five-acre expansion of the McKinley Park lagoon native plant area. This area provides provides a habitat for birds and pollinators, helps retain and filter stormwater with deep-rooted native plants, and improves air quality by sequestering carbon emissions.

Figure 9.6 McKinley Community Play Garden

Source: site-design.com/projects/mckinley-park-nature-play/