Warren Park Beautification and Cleanup-- Nico Bezzerides' Eagle Project

133 Eliot Street,Brookline MA 02445

15 May, 2022

Description

Nico Bezzerides' Eagle Project to Clean up and Beautify Warren Park with the Brookline Parks and Open Space Division Help support my Eagle Scout Project! What? Eagle Scout Project for new signage and whole park cleanup at Warren/Eliot Park with the Brookline Parks and Open Space Division! Project includes: installing metal signage with anti-graffiti coating, a park cleanup, planting many new perennials, mulching the flower beds, and replenishing the level of woodchips in the swing sets. Funds will be used for new signs, perennials, and other incidentals and are ultimately donations to the Brookline Parks and Open Space Division. Funds raised over the project cost will be used for extra signage and plants and donated to the Brookline Parks and Open Space Division When Sunday, May 15, 2022 8:00 am - 2:00 pm How you can help Donate: (link) Help to cover the cost of the metal signs, perennials, and other incidentals by donating. If you would like to help keep Warren enjoyable for years to come, please help financially support this project! Volunteer: If you can join us for park cleanup and planting (w/ the Brookline Parks and Open Space Division) on Sunday, May 15, we’d love to have you for any amount of time! Please RSVP here! Background Hello! My name is Nico Bezzerides, and I am a Life Scout in Boy Scout Troop Six Brookline working towards my Eagle Scout Rank. I have chosen to focus on a space and community, Warren Playground (also known as Eliot Park), which has been present for me throughout my life. I was walking in the Brookline Reservoir Park this past January and noticed something I really appreciated: metal signage that held the name of the park in large letters, and another sign that explained the rules of the park. When I remembered that our beloved Warren does not have these signs available, I instantly thought of trying to add them for my Eagle Project. The park and its community has given so much to me: a place to play, to walk, to enjoy, to live. I've picked dandelions in the park and made them into dandelion honey; I've spent countless hours on my bike traversing across the fields. Because of this, I feel an obligation, when I see an opportunity, to give back, which is what I am attempting to accomplish with this Eagle Project. Signs help newcomers get their bearings, they give a sense of place and purpose, and practically, they explain the rules of the park or a specific area of the park and make minute details clear to those who use the park. It is a helpful and important upgrade. The ones we will be adding to Warren are metal, so they will last a very long time, and coated to prevent graffiti, ensuring their usefulness for years to come. As I was coordinating with the Brookline Public Works Division, however, we found it important to expand the scope of the project from just signs. As a result, the project will encompass not just adding signage, but also the planting of new perennials to rejuvenate the flower beds near the Recreation Center and the parking lot, the re-adding of mulch to the beds to feed the new plants and improve the way the beds look, and the adding of woodchips to some of the areas in the swing sets and playground areas where woodchips have been kicked out and deep grooves have been set. We'll also extend two of the flower beds out a foot from where they are currently and edge them. The current plan is to purchase and install four metal signs: one big Park ID sign on the Eliot St. fence, a smaller, general rules sign on the parking lot fence, a new sign on the tennis courts conveying all of the rules and tips for use of the tennis courts, and a rules sign on the gated palyground near the parking lot. (For the last two: yes, there are signs there that convey the "no dogs" rule, but nothing other than that. It's important for us to make all of the rules clear for a more enjoyable experience for everyone). If we raise more money than anticipated, then we will purchase more signs! Next on the list are the basketball and baseball fields, and then we would put signage at other entrances of the park. The first four signs are the main goal, however, and if we can only reach those I would be elated. These signs, being made of metal, are expensive, and are the largest ticket item in the project, at about $1250. For perennials, the plan is to purchase smaller plants in general that can fill the space in front of the larger shrubs already planted. We'll purchase about 30 to 35 plants to do that, and also mulch and edge the beds to increase their longevity. Finally, for the woodchips, there are three beds that could use some additional woodchips in order to return to their best state, and we'll be adding that. All of this would not be possible without the help of the Brookline Parks and Open Space Division. They are the beneficiary of the project, and all donations are ultimately to them. Any final extra funds will be used to purchase extra materials to extend the project for their benefit. Thank you to them and in particular Jessie Waisnor for being invaluable in helping with this project!