KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Organization Kzoo Parks announced Wednesday that it has launched a new Adopt-a-Park program, inviting community volunteers to “adopt” or help beautify and care for a city park.
Adopting a park could include activities like planting flowers and gardening, picking up branches and litter and edging sidewalks. Kzoo Parks will provide volunteer groups with free t-shirts, trash bags for clean-up work and reimbursement of up to $100 for flowers and plants.
Residents who are interested in adopting a park can learn more and sign up by visiting www.kzooparks.org/adopt or emailing kzooparks@kalamazoocity.org.
Residents can also call 311 (or (269) 337-8000) for assistance.
Officials say that any of the available 33 parks and 19 green spaces throughout the city that Kzoo Parks maintains can be adopted. Larger parks, such as Spring Valley Park or Milham Park, are well suited for larger groups or organizations, while smaller parks like Dutton Street Park or Springmont Tot Lot are a great fit for a family or individual.
Five parks and green spaces have already been adopted or are pending adoption by groups and individuals who reached out to Kzoo Parks to volunteer before the official launch of the program. These include Southside, Hays, Frays and Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Parks, as well as the Kalamazoo Farmers Market.
“Kalamazoo’s parks and green spaces really are a treasure in our community,” Kalamazoo Parks & Recreation Director Sean Fletcher said in a statement. “There are a lot of people in our community that enjoy gardening and working outside, and we hope they will lend their time and talents to help keep our parks beautiful for everyone to enjoy.”
This program was created as part of implementation for the Imagine Fun! Kzoo Parks Master Plan, which includes a goal to “encourage residents to take pride in their neighborhood parks and ‘adopt’ them as their own.”
Kzoo Parks staff will continue to provide regular park maintenance and will be available to support volunteers as needed.
