The City of Rochester Parks and Recreation department worked with five community partners by way of the Rochester Conservation Corps to provide employment for 87 under or unemployed community members impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The groups assisted Parks & Recreation teammates with completing park and trail system improvements. Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding will be used to support the project, as part of the City’s overall $5.1M appropriation for the second phase of the COVID-19 response.
A total of $322,788 CARES Act dollars were invested. In total the program accomplished the following:
- 1376 trees planted (876 boulevard and park trees and 500 smaller tree whips for river restoration planting at Bear Creek Park.)
- 548 trees purchased – purchased at Jim Whiting’s Nursery
- This also included mulching staking and watering
- 50+ playgrounds had playground safety chips leveled and added
- 8+ acres of buckthorn has been removed from heavily infested steep terrain
- Several miles of trail corridors near downtown were cleaned
- 90+ parks were picked/cleaned up
Mike Nigbur Park and Forestry Division Head shares, “We know that more and more people have been enjoying our parks and trail systems, which is wonderful. We want to thank the 87 community members from local organizations who helped us achieve these improvements. Your efforts are appreciated and the improvements have and will be experienced by residents and visitors.”
The participating organizations included Ability Building Community, Cambodian Association, Diversity Council, Journie, Opportunity Services and Rochester Sports Mentorship Academy.
The Parks and Recreation department set a new record in 2020 for the number of trees planted. In total, 3,174 trees were planted in parks and on boulevards. This includes 800 small trees planted for river bank restoration projects. The remaining 2,374 trees were acquired and planted by a variety of different means. These new trees will help make Rochester a healthier and more livable community for all residents and visitors alike for generations to come.
