Love Your Park Fall Clean-Up gives Philly a fun way to give back

With the idea that Philly parks are a vital resource providing recreation, relaxation, and connection with nature, the Love Your Park Fall Clean-Up activation coming next month is asking the city to show Philly’s greenery some TLC with a series of events. 

The fall iteration of this activation, which spans 100 neighborhoods—virtually every one in Philly—will kick off Nov. 10 and run until Nov. 23. 

“Volunteering during Love Your Park Weekend is the easiest way to give back to your local park,” says Orlando Rendon, Commissioner of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation in a statement. “We encourage all Philadelphians to get connected to your community’s Park Friends group, advocating for and supporting these important public spaces.”

As a release states, Love Your Park is a program of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and Fairmount Park Conservancy, in partnership with the Park Friends Network, made up of more than 140 volunteer groups who steward their neighborhood parks. Every fall, thousands of volunteers come out to clean and green their parks, plant trees and flower bulbs, collect leaves for compost, clean up litter, and more to help prepare parks for the winter season, including in Philadelphia. 

“The Park Friends Network has shown over and over again throughout its 30 years that Philadelphians can create safer, cleaner, more equitable, and welcoming green spaces for everyone,” said Maura McCarthy, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Fairmount Park Conservancy in a statement.

McCarthy continued: “Everyone at Fairmount Park Conservancy is committed to continuing building capacity, as well as nourishing and fostering more volunteers throughout the neighborhood parks in our city.”

A few examples for Philadelphians to participate in to kick it all off includes a Cobbs Creek Park Fall Cleanup, (63rd and Locust streets), on Saturday, Nov. 11, from 10 a.m. to noon; a Dickinson Square Park Love Your Park Cleanup, (1600 E. Moyamensing Avenue), also on Nov. 11, but at 9 a.m.; and an event at Fernhill Park titled The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know Is Possible. The latter event will take place at the corner of Abbottsford and McKean avenues on Nov. 11, at 9 a.m.

Another activation will take place at Carroll Park for Love Your Park Fall 2023 Clean-Up, (5801 West Girard Avenue) on Nov. 11, at 10 a.m.; while McPherson Square Love Your Park Day, (601 E. Indiana Avenue) will take place on Nov. 18, at 11 a.m. The Royal Gardens in Morris Park – Love Your Park Fall Weekend in 2023 (926 N. 68th Street) will kick off on Nov. 11 at 9 a.m.; the Wissinoming Park – Love Your Park Fall Signature Site Event, (4001 East Cheltenham Avenue) on Nov. 11 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; the Penn Treaty Park – Love Your Park Fall 2023, (1301 N. Beach Street) will also be on Nov. 11 at 10 a.m.; and last but not least, the Northwood Park Clean and Green, (Castor Avenue and Foulkrod Street) will take place on Nov. 11 at 1 p.m.

A complete and full list can be found online.

The Park Friends Network celebrates its 30th year in 2023 as well—the Network started with four groups and has grown to 140 groups in every neighborhood of Philadelphia activating, stewarding, and advocating for their local green spaces, the release also states.

 Advance registration is strongly encouraged. To register to volunteer, visit loveyourpark.org/events/lyp-fall-2023.