Two Reading parks and surrounding neighborhoods were transformed this weekend through neighbor engagement strategies from a Reading nonprofit.
Community engagement groups Barrio Alegria and its special project South of Penn descended on Reading Rising Park on Friday, and Baer Park on Saturday. The goal was to not only make the parks more welcoming to residents, but to get those very residents involved in claiming ownership over their public spaces.
Reading Rising Park is situated across from Reading Area Community College and provides a shady respite for students and neighbors alike. Annalis Ortega, the coordinator for South of Penn and a student at RACC, said she noticed the park needed a little bit of care.
“It is meant to be a beautiful piece of nature here in the South of Penn,” Ortega said. “I saw that it needed some TLC, so I really wanted to do something nice for the people who walk by it every day.”
Ortega reached out to neighbors and also a small business owner who sells hotdogs on the corner. On Friday — even through a flash thunderstorm that swept over the city — South of Penn, Barrio and neighbors cleaned up the park. Through the organization’s connection with the City of Reading, a Public Works crew mowed the grass and weed whacked the park.
The very next day, Barrio Alegría and neighbors cleaned up Baer Park and the surrounding neighborhood in an event called Comunidad Verde, or Green Community in English. The event highlights the beauty of public parks in the city and aims to get neighbors to feel a sense of ownership and joy about their city. After the clean-up, the event also featured a picnic, and a planting workshop led by Tanya Melendez.
Paola Disla is the lead of Barrio’s community development department and oversaw this year’s Comunidad Verde event. She said she loved seeing neighbors interact and learn from one another.
“This isn’t about just picking up trash, it’s about recognizing how we can make this a better place for everyone to share,” Disla said. “Seeing all the moms come out and exchange their knowledge and experiences with plants is just one example of how our parks can be places where we relax, learn, and get closer to one other.”
For more volunteer opportunities, people are encouraged to follow Barrio on Facebook and Instagram, or contact info@barrioalegria.org.