Hello September! We’re happy to have you.
This summer seemed to go by quite quickly and September is already here with kids heading back to school, summer parties starting to slow down, and the beautiful turning of trees is on its way. This time of year always seems bittersweet in Syracuse, we get only a few short months of warm, sunny weather so everyone tries to take advantage of it but I think most everyone enjoys the coolness of fall and seeing the foliage turn to shades of orange, yellow and red.
August was a busy month for us here at the SPC. We’ve wrapped up our Summer Event series in collaboration with the Syracuse Parks Department which was a success…minus all of the thunderstorms.
Here at the conservancy we’ve been working away on our future planning and growth. We’ve added on two new board members, restructured our committees, and are gearing up to connect with the community more.
Below I’ll share some of the highlights of what has been going on behind the scenes here at the SPC.
As always thank you for your support and excitement for keeping our local parks beautiful.
Best,
Heather McClelland
Director of the SPC
Greening Grants
Our Greening Grants program is in collaboration with the Community Foundation and is a resource available to our local neighborhood groups. This program has been running since about 2013 and we’re ready to revitalize it for you!
Your organization can apply for a Greening Grant up to $2000 for a volunteer based project in a city park or green space.
We still have funding for this year so if you have a project you’re looking to fund, click the link here to see if you’d qualify!
Future of the Syracuse Parks
Projects the SPC is working on funding over the next 2-3 years.
Lower Onondaga Green House Restoration
The Greenhouse is a hidden gem of Syracuse. It was once open to the public for dinners, galas, and many other events. Due to its current condition it is closed to the public until some renovations take place ensuring it’s safe for the community. We are working on gaining the funding to help open it back up for you to enjoy!
Schiller Park Oak Tree Design Competition
A 150 year of oak tree was recently taken down in Schiller Park and is the perfect opportunity to reuse this beautiful tree for another purpose…to create a piece of art to be shown off in the parks! In collaboration with the Syracuse Parks Department and other organizations, we’re aiming to begin a longer term program to reuse trees taken down in the city parks for other purposes.
Installation of a new Splash Pad
Splash pads are a big hit in our community, especially during those short summer months. The SPC plans to install a new splash pad within our community!
Elmwood Park Asphalt Remediation
Elmwood Park has a large plot of asphalt that can be utilized in a much better way for the community. In collaboration with the Syracuse Parks Department, we plan on being a part of the removal of the asphalt to create new walking paths and plantings zones with a variety of plants.
Volunteer with Us!
We’ve been hard at work on our volunteer program the past several months. If you have a group of friends, family or colleagues that are looking to give back a bit, go ahead and fill out or volunteering from below!
You can volunteer to do a clean up, plantings, work one of our events like Syrathon, or much more!