Bob Wilder with volunteers Molly B, Maude and Laura
The gardens in parks in Peterborough would be impossible without the public/private partnership we have forged in the last dozen years. One of the key players in that partnership is Bob Wilder. Bob works in the Building and Grounds Department of the Public Works of the Town of Peterborough.
Bob has wheelbarrow with rakes, shovels and brooms waiting for the volunteers at the Pavilion Garden every Wednesday morning at 7 AM from April through October. At the end of workday, he picks up our piles of weeds and clippings and takes them to the Recycling Center to be composted. He waters all the planters and cleans the trash and any graffiti on the parks buildings daily. One of Bob's big jobs this year was watering the newly installed rain gardens and trees at Putnam Park and Teixeira Park. Due to the severe drought this year, that was a daunting task. Essentially, there is no task that Bob will not happily take on for betterment of the gardens in the parks of Peterborough.
The Parks Committee often takes the credit for the beautiful gardens in the parks of our town but the behind-the-scenes dedication of Bob Wilder is a vital component to our success. Thanks Bob for your endless commitment to our cause. It could not be done without you!
Nice post, my hats off to you all for creating such beautiful, inviting spaces...wish there were more of you!
ReplyDeleteScott,
ReplyDeleteThanks. It truly takes a village.
Michael, I've been thinking of proposing a similar arrangement in my town, so your post is timely! It seems to be the only way to get some interesting things done in public parks.
ReplyDeleteHi Denise,
ReplyDeleteGood luck! A good resource would be Lynden B. Miller's book: Parks, Plants, and People: Beautifying the Urban Landscape. She talks a lot about the public/private partnership. I think you will find it helpful. Thanks for your comment.