Volunteers are at work over the weekend to clean up and improve the City of Dayton’s Sargeant Park, a 20-acre park on Covert Run Pike in recognition of Earth Day, April 20.
The City of Dayton and its Park Board put out a call for volunteers who are clearing and chipping dead honeysuckle and debris, mulching new trails in the park with the chipped materials. They are removing chain link fencing, tires, trash, and other debris, and staining picnic tables.
“Excitement has been building about this newly reopened park,” said Sargeant Park Board Chairperson Amanda Bowman. “This Volunteer Weekend event allows our residents and nearby citizens to participate in the reawakening of this beautiful park and our newly installed trails there just in time for Earth Day.”
Those participating in the chipping activities were asked to bring hand tools, such as clippers and hand saws. Volunteers signed a liability waiver before participating in the event. Children under the age of 18 were permitted to participate if accompanied by a parent or guardian. Drinks and snacks were provided.
Improvements to Sargeant Park are being funded with grants from the Kentucky Recreational Trails program ($91,000), L’Oreal ($80,000), and Duke Energy ($2,000). The Parks Board has been working with Groundwork Ohio River Valley — a nonprofit whose mission is to transform the natural and built environment of urban communities – to build nearly two miles of trails in Sargeant Park, which has trail heads at both Covert Run Pike and Lincoln Road.
“The City of Dayton is extremely thankful for the state and community funding we received to make these needed improvements to Sargeant Park,” said Dayton Mayor Ben Baker. “We also deeply appreciate of all of the many hours of hard work our Park Board members and other citizens have contributed to make this park more beautiful and more accessible to our community.”
