We finally have some sturdy benches in the Glenwood Children's Park. A generous grant from MG&E when the bike path was being constructed provided the materials, and Rich Chiesa, a senior at West High and son of Bob and Carey Chiesa, 2230 Keyes, constructed the three wooden benches. The construction project fulfilled Rich's requirement for Eagle Scout. Two of the benches are placed in the wayside area near the drinking fountain along Glenway and a third bench is located in the playground area. Currently we are working with the Friends of Lake Wingra to explore the possibility of installing an information kiosk located near the drinking fountain.

(Click on an image to view)

Without volunteer help, the benches could never have been built. As with so many of our neighborhood ventures, it has taken the commitment of good people who were willing to contribute some hours from their busy schedules to see a project through to completion. Those people who built the benches (and the same goes for the volunteers who have worked on the Odana prairie garden) were from many neighborhoods. DMNA neighbors helping were: Nils Diller, Pickford; Bill and Brian Kenealy, West Lawn; Todd Peterson, Minakwa; Sue Reindollar; and Rich, Bob, and Carey Chiesa (who provided superb food). Help from other neighborhoods were: Joe Connors, Verona; Harold Crabb, Mt.Horeb; Randy and Matt McEllhofe, Kendall Ave.; Jeff Hickel, Glendale Lane; and William First, Mineau Parkway. Perhaps moms with young children visiting the playground appreciate these volunteers the most. Now they have somewhere to sit besides on the sliding board.

In August, West High faculty and Westmorland resident Don Vincent organized volunteers to pull giant ragweed. Elspeth Mungall, Carol Gosenheimer, Char Thompson, and Sue Reindollar pulled pounds of ragweed around the Children's Park area and north down the Path. Since ragweed is an annual, we hope by pulling it, we set next year's crop back considerably, at least in the limited area where we worked. Control of the invasive species is going to have to be part of a "homeowners consciousness raising" activity. Any railroad corridor is infamous for degraded environments, which spread such nasty contenders for attention as garlic mustard, burdock, ragweed, and Japanese knotweed or Japanese bamboo, into people's backyards and Lake Wingra if left unchecked. Therefore, in the spring, we'll be organizing the garlic mustard brigade.

Also in the dog days of August, a Gregory St. neighbor Vince (Vito) Gandolph single-handedly attacked the Children's Park's invasive species which had overgrown the Park to the point that visitors could barely see the path for the weeds.

One of the longstanding and more intense volunteer activities has been the planting at the Odana prairie garden and the seeding of the wooded side of the Path. (See the list of plants elsewhere on the web site.) The first years for a planting are crucial, and it will take three years before we see flowers where they were seeded. On Saturday Dec. 7, Dennis Hill, Carol Gosenheimer, and Sue Reindollar are overseeding along the wooded side of the Path with seeds from Audubon's Goose Pond, Kathy and Tom Brock's Black Earth conservancy, and multiple other sources. The seeds had to be picked, then hand-cleaned by rubbing over screens, and then mixed together according to the type of growing conditions we have along the Path. Throughout the summer, we weeded and weeded and weeded. Even though these are prairie plants, which traditionally don't need as much care as do cultivated garden perennials, they still need a good head start against the weeds, which would take over. So we weeded and watered.

Without the guidance and the offering of free plants and seeds from a retired science teacher, Jerry Gunderson of Middleton, there wouldn't be a prairie at Odana. There are many unusual prairie species among the more than 800 plants in the space. Ed Daley of Gregory Street moved more dirt and sand than any bobcat and probably wished he had access to one after we got the second load of sand. Fitchburg resident Dave Barta, a senior at Edgewood High School, earned community service hours by moving loads of mulch and pulling piles of weeds. And Diane Hanson of White Oaks Lane off Schroeder Road helped weed and water on several occasions.

We are rethinking the needs of the Path now that it has celebrated its first full year. Besides the spring cleanup, controlling invasive species, and planting, we will need to focus on traffic issues as a top priority. Any creative suggestions are welcome.

http://www.dmna.org/bikepath/planting/volunteers_2002.shtml
Last Modified: 03-Feb-08 05:53 PM

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