Volunteers For Isham Park: Summer 2014 album of VIP maintenance work

August, W. 213th: Soil & weeds had accumulated in front of the retaining wall

After: W. 213th entrance; VIP broom at right.

Over the past few months, Isham Park has been a construction site for the restoration of its water service, a project planned by NYC Parks since the summer of 2011.

Volunteers for Isham Park have worked on an ongoing basis in Isham Park during these months, a few hours each weekend collecting garbage and weeding and sweeping stone paths and terraces.

VIP have also worked on Friday mornings with Parks Gardener Dorothy Rowan, assisting her with weeding of the many entrance gardens in Isham Park. We have worked as well to maintain the garden VIP installed with Dorothy's guidance and help around the west side of the memorial terrace in 2010 (see June 2014 blog post), along the path to the southwest and east, and in what we have come to call the "margin garden" along the east side of the Park Terrace West sidewalk, also begun in 2009-10.

September: South path steps after weeding.

The park responds well to such specific care; its beauty is magnified and its history foregrounded.

Please come out to help on Saturday mornings from 9am-12 noon. For more information email: volunteersforishampark@gmail.com

Please note that, due to construction, VIP is not planning a fall 2014 It's My Park Day event. However, the regular maintenance will continue and special work days may be announced.

Memorial terrace after Beech tree debris was removed and weeding & sweeping.

During the summer one of the remaining large Beech trees on the lower bed to the east split and fell on the memorial terrace; VIP assisted Parks with removal of the debris and then weeded and swept the terrace. This was the second damage to the tree which lost a major portion of its trunk during hurricane Sandy in October 2012. This tree is one of four planted specifically at the site when the memorial was constructed. Another of the four trees was lost earlier, after it split in a similar manner and was removed.