So on Sunday April, 3, 2011, my co-superhero Zoe and I (Em) went on a crazy fun adventure to… WEST PHILLY! To help a neighborhood association and UC Green cleanup a common ground backyard.
Our morning started really early (we had to get up at 7, sorry roommates!) and we took the subway and walked over to a residential block.
When we got there it look like this:
Our task: clean this site up to be ready to build.
Since we were the first to arrive, we went to work quickly for such an enormous task. Our first assignment: raking a path. Luckily, UC Green is very organized and provided shovels, rakes, trash bags, and clippers.
The land behind us as we raked.
Zoe as she poses after raking a path.
Eventually, more people showed up from the neighborhood (all who were happy to help and happy to clean this mess) and our task was switched to clearing the piles of branches, twigs, and sticks that consumed the park.
The dumpster was filled fairly fast, too fast for most of us to compress it. We alternated cutting down the branches in the dumpster until we had to get the professional help of a chainsaw. We couldn’t fit all of the piles ready for the clearing, but the tree planting isn’t until May 14th, so there is plenty of time. What we didn’t throw away, such as leaves and soil, were put in the back of the yard to use as compost. Anne, the director, was adamant to reuse as much as possible to make the garden worth it. The trees that will eventually be planted will be ones that native birds know and like to habitat in. Anne and UC Green very much want a thoughtful bird sanctuary.
After Cleanup
Before Cleanup
The cleanup was a grueling task, especially with a tiny lane to go in and out of while clearing the yard.
Alley in which we transported the clearings.
Not all the wood did we throw out though. In an effort to conserve and sustain, most of the larger logs remained to be on the clearing to make benches, signs and for surplus lumber.
Nailed in logs to wood makes this bench.
Tentative Benches made that day.
Perhaps some history about the site is needed in order to appreciate the value of the cleanup. This site mirrors so many other places around urban cities that it should be a model to other community cleanup groups. Though there are different means to the stories, all have the same facts according to the community members. Apparently, around 50-60 years ago, two wealthy families split the property between the two as a garden like for the community. Eventually, one of the families kept all of it. The only surviving man used the spot as a popular community garden and to help urban children engage in nature. After he died, it was sold to the government. Eventually, the government could no longer keep the area so it was sold back to the community, who until recently could not use the necessary resources needed for about 30-40 years. Recently, a grant was acquired and UC Green stepped in. Not just UC Green, but many members of the community try to lend a hand in saving their neighborhood, and in effect the city and the world. “Citizenship, conceived along classical republican lines, identifies a role for residents of a place by articulating a range of minimal obligations they have to each other for the sake of the larger community in which they live. On this account, citizenship is not satisfied merely with voting, or even less robustly, as only a legal category which one is either born into or becomes naturalized to. It is instead ‘ethical citizenship’ or a concept as ‘citizenship as a vocation’ where citizenship virtue met by active participation at some level of public affairs” (Light). This is a perfect example of ecological/ethical citizenship in action and was rather inspiring.
Em and Zoe working.
Em and Zoe working (albeit later)
Supplies we used, thanks to UC Green
While we were working, we noticed that this little garden has been polluted with all types of things from the years. Our ‘archeological’ findings were both humorous and puzzling.
A seashell. Not be the seashore.
A full can of hipster beer. It was actually squirting out some from the impact of the rake.
Overall, this was a valuable experience to the community. They were very thankful for our help when we didn’t even live in the neighborhood. Or in West Philadelphia. They were gracious (and we were grateful) enough to feed the volunteers as we worked hard this windy, cold April morning. Thank you so much to UC Green and all the volunteers for making the day enjoyable.
Spruce Hill Bird Sancutary Volunteers
HOURS LOGGED: 6 hours, on April 3, 2011
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