Dear Melrose Park Volunteers,
It’s not often you go to a public park and see beautiful, well-tended vegetable gardens and lush planted beds. I can remember only one time that’s happened to me. The first time my children and I ventured to Melrose Park.
For a few years, Melrose has been our favorite park. It’s not close to home so when we find ourselves downtown, we pop by because we enjoy it so much.
We enjoyed a visit late last Friday afternoon and I saw someone there quietly watering the gardens. Ian indulged my questions about the vegetables, about the park and about how it manages to be so pretty all the time. One conversation gave me all the answers.
Melrose Park has the love of a dedicated group of citizen volunteers.
The park is so well kept because the plants get after-hours grooming, attention and expertise. There are regularly tended city-built community gardens where children can learn how to plant vegetables, see them grow and later enjoy them. The child-sized picnic table and cooling ceiling fan welcome groups of all ages and encourage neighborhood and family gatherings.
I know there must be painfully frustrating times. I can hardly fathom seeing someone litter or treat the park disrespectfully. On the other hand, this family — and many other families I have spoken to at the park — always notice all the work that’s made it such a beautiful retreat. Your community is lucky to have such a gift.
Thank you for making Melrose Park such a shining example of what a community can and will do for a public property. It’s heartening and very much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Julie Turner
The Thank You Project is a yearlong Wordsmith letter writing and blog project. I’m recognizing and thanking people who enrich my life and make my community an even better place to live.
Julie, Thank you for your kind words and for visiting Melrose Park. Please come visit as often as you like. 🙂 We are trying to create a welcoming, beautiful place to play/ relax. The park has come a long way its neglected past, but we are not finished with our rehab efforts yet. We plan to have edibles, herbs and blooms planted and available year-round. The next time you come you may take notice, though we have not labeled the plants yet, of the different scented plants next to the picnic shelter: Pineapple Mint, Chocolate Mint, Lemon Thyme, Sweet Mint, Lemon Balm, Citronella, and my personal favorite Lemon Verbena. (PS Sadly, the nice cooling ceiling fan belongs to our friends at Heathwood Park. 🙂 We’re working on getting one at Melrose though.
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. We will be back, I assure you! Thank you again for all you are doing!