Revised April 29th, 2024
Update: The next volunteer clean-up at Freeman Park is May 11, 9:00-noon.
A massive effort took place on April 11 making significant headway in the removal of the buckthorn debris.
- 30+ residents volunteered to remove buckthorn fragments left behind by the deforestation equipment.
- Volunteers worked primarily in Area 1 (see map) and completed approximately 50% debris cleanup.
- Members of Scout troops 409 and 424 were part of the team.
- City workers have been chipping the piles as the next phase of the project.
Volunteer feedback will be shared with the Parks Commission. Overall, feedback for the April 11 event was positive, but suggested there should be more focus on organization, instruction and community outreach for future projects.
“…it was good, well organized, etc. Maybe widen the recruiting scope to include Tonka United soccer teams and Tonka baseball teams.“
“… I thought it went extraordinarily well! The only improvements for next year are wider dissemination of the event…maybe on NextDoor, and on the Shorewood website, mailer, and electronic announcement board…”
“…it was a positive event! Having residents pitching in on park improvements & interacting with other residents brings about feelings of civic pride and stronger community. It does more than just save the city time/$. I found it difficult to locate the event online. ” –Volunteer comments
Park advocate, Barry Brown, continues to focus his energy on making this project successful.
