A younger teen pushes a wheelbarrow while making a funny face at the camera.

Parks Appreciation Day recap: Thank you volunteers

April 24, 2023

We had another successful Parks Appreciation Day over the weekend thanks to the outstanding roughly 150 volunteers that stepped up to help.

Cleanup efforts focused on five sites:

  • Edgewater Park
  • Fort Steilacoom Park
  • Harry Todd Park
  • Kiwanis Park
  • Lakewood Community Garden

In total, 100 cubic yards of play chips were spread around play equipment. These chips provide safety around our playgrounds to lessen the impact if children fall. Volunteers spread a total of 50 cubic yards of mulch. This helps maintain healthy garden beds and prevents invasive species growth.

We saw three dump trucks worth of invasive blackberry vines/plants removed from Edgewater Park. This improved the views of Lake Steilacoom from the park and increased access to the lake.

Another 10 yards of invasive scotch broom was removed in Fort Steilacoom Park near the Hill Ward site. Volunteers continued their tradition of replacing the historic markers and grooming the graves at the historic patient cemetery at the park.  

At Harry Todd Park, 30 pounds of garbage was removed from the swim area, preparing it for the upcoming swimming season.

Volunteers applied a lot of elbow grease at Kiwanis Park, scrubbing the playground and removing graffiti from surfaces. They also painted tables, the restroom building and skate park surfaces.

Thank you to the following service clubs and partner organizations:

  • Clover Park School District
  • Grave Concerns
  • Kiwanis Club of Lakewood
  • Lakewood Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
  • Lakewood Youth Council
  • LDS Church
  • Little Church on the Prairie
  • Rotary Club of Lakewood
  • West Pierce Fire and Rescue Dive team

In addition, we are grateful to the many neighbors and community members who showed up to volunteer for the day. Thank you!

A student in a green t-shirt makes a funny face at the camera while wheeling a wheel barrow.
A woman smooths out woodchips at the playground at Fort Steilacoom Park
A volunteer spreads woodchips at Kiwanis Park
A volunteer cleans the play structure at Kiwanis Park