The first park stewardship event since before the COVID-19 pandemic brought volunteers and Chicago Park District employees to McKinley Park to plant native wildflowers in the park's natural area on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
A team of Chicago Park District employees, including seasonal employees for 2021, assisted volunteers from the community in planting thousands of native plants in McKinley Park's natural area, which surrounds the lagoon on the east end of the park.
Event coordinator and Chicago Park District employee Lucy Gomez-Feliciano said around 4,000 plugs were going into the ground, including on the east end of the lagoon.
Hiring for the Season
Seasonal park district employee Geoff Hills said that the native plants like Ziziaurea going into McKinley Park would help keep out invasive species like wild parsnip and thistles.
Gomez-Feliciano noted that the Chicago Park District is still hiring seasonal employees for the Natural Areas Crew, which is responsible for ecological restoration and community engagement support across the majority of the South and Southeast Side natural areas.
Applications are still being taken through Friday, May 28, 2021, Gomez-Feliciano said. Click here for information and to apply to the Chicago Park District Natural Areas Crew.
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Colin Morris, left, and Geoff Hills work as Chicago Park District seasonal employees at the planting day in McKinley Park on May 15, 2021.
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A young boy lends a hand at the wildflower planting day in McKinley Park on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
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A native wildflower planting awaits installation in McKinley Park's natural area during park stewardship work on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
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Laura Vilante, left, and Jade Vilante volunteer their time to plant wildflowers in McKinley Park's natural area on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
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A Chicago Park District crew gets ready to assist at the wildflower planting day in McKinley Park on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
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A young girl assists at the wildflower planting day in McKinley Park on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
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Victor Martinez and Liliana Castro assist at the wildflower planting day on Saturday, May 15, 2021, in McKinley Park's natural area.
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A native wildflower blooms in McKinley Park's natural area during the stewardship day on May 15, 2021.
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Chicago Park District event coordinator Lucy Gomez-Feliciano is set to rendezvous with wildflowers planting volunteers at the stump circle in McKinley Park's natural area on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
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Rose Belcik, one of the McKinley Park neighborhood's newest natives, helps her mom, Samantha Belcik, plant native wildflowers in McKinley Park at the Chicago Park District planting day on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
Colin Morris, left, and Geoff Hills work as Chicago Park District seasonal employees at the planting day in McKinley Park on May 15, 2021.
A young boy lends a hand at the wildflower planting day in McKinley Park on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
A native wildflower planting awaits installation in McKinley Park's natural area during park stewardship work on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
Laura Vilante, left, and Jade Vilante volunteer their time to plant wildflowers in McKinley Park's natural area on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
A Chicago Park District crew gets ready to assist at the wildflower planting day in McKinley Park on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
A young girl assists at the wildflower planting day in McKinley Park on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
Victor Martinez and Liliana Castro assist at the wildflower planting day on Saturday, May 15, 2021, in McKinley Park's natural area.
A native wildflower blooms in McKinley Park's natural area during the stewardship day on May 15, 2021.
Chicago Park District event coordinator Lucy Gomez-Feliciano is set to rendezvous with wildflowers planting volunteers at the stump circle in McKinley Park's natural area on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
Rose Belcik, one of the McKinley Park neighborhood's newest natives, helps her mom, Samantha Belcik, plant native wildflowers in McKinley Park at the Chicago Park District planting day on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
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