By: Todd Fischer, North End Resident
The NENA parks project on May 1st was a great success.
The City of Boise Parks and Recreation had all the tools and supplies ready for a Saturday morning 9am start. The first effort was to spread out the chipped wood in the playground areas. Elm Grove park had 60 cubic yards to spread and Memorial Park had a whopping 80 cubic yards in several piles. Wheelbarrows, shovels pitch forks and all sorts of rakes were on hand. The effect started with focus attention, but soon children joined in and neighbor starting talking with neighbor. Some folks came with old friends; we all left with new friends.
Matt Larson and his son Sage came because Elm Grove is their favorite park in Boise. Sage was a trooper helping dad spread the never ending loop of full wheelbarrows being emptied in the slides and swing areas followed by quickly being refilled again. David, whose last name I didn’t catch, may have been the senior volunteer; showing us how steady effort makes for quick work. As our arms started to ache, another crew of volunteers showed up to bring us across the finish line well ahead of schedule. There was time enough to paint the key on the basketball court and stain picnic tables.
The idea to do a community project came from a neighbor who asked NENA for help making it happen. Building community by working together to take care of our North End community is what NENA is all about. If you have an idea of how to build friendships in our community, please reach out to NENA and see what you can make happen.
Our children will enjoy playing in our neighborhood parks and the work done in a few hours will last for years. Thanks to all the volunteers who turned out to make a friend and make the North End an even better place to live.