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Volunteers donate hundreds of hours to help clean up parks

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By The Lincoln Journal Star

Sunday, Nov 25, 2007 - 06:03:24 pm CST

The Parks and Recreation Department got a great response this fall for its first "Hands On/Help Out Lincoln Parks" program, said director Lynn Johnson.

Sixty-four park areas were adopted by the end of October and slightly more than 300 volunteers donated 637 hours of labor.

“We hoped to get somewhere around 100 (park areas adopted). We’re about two-thirds there, so this is a great response,” Johnson said.

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In September, the department encouraged residents to volunteer and lend a hand in maintaining the community’s public park areas, including recreational  trails. 

Neighborhood organizations, families, scout troops, church groups,  service clubs and companies responded, Johnson said.

Volunteers placed mulch around the base of trees, which helped reduce mowing and improved appearances. Projects were planned for October and November.

Johnson estimated that the volunteers saved the city between $9,000 and $10,000. He said he hopes the program can continue next year.

For more information on the volunteer program, please call 441-7035 or visit the city Web site at: lincoln.ne.gov (keyword: hands).


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Lincoln Taxpayer wrote on November 25, 2007 6:50 pm:
" I am curious why the City of Lincoln is paying a tree service to cut down trees in Wilderness Park? All we hear is that the Parks Dept has no money to mow the City parks and maintain them, but everyday I drive by Wilderness Park and private contractors are in there cutting down many large trees and grinding them up. If we don't have money for the City parks and pools, where is the money coming from for this contractor's work in Wilderness Park? It's a wilderness for heaven's sake, the City needs to get it's priorities straight! "

 taxpayer wrote on November 25, 2007 8:02 pm:
" probly so the park doesn't get cluttered with dead trees. If some how a fire started the those dry trees started to burn you would be complaining about the parks service not paying contractors to clean up trees. Lincoln taxpayers need to get their priorities straight! "

 Soylent Green wrote on November 26, 2007 4:10 pm:
" Also, whereas volunteers can rake leaves and pick up trash, due to the liability associated with the downing and removal of trees, the City has to hire firms to do that type of work. By getting volunteers to do the work they can, the City is able to use the money for the other tasks that can't be done by volunteers. Sounds like sound use of City dollars to me! I guess some people will always find fault in everything... event eh good things! Sad... very sad. "

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