Community Comes Together for Park & Playground Stewardship at the Eastern Prom

On Sunday, October 18, the Portland Parks Conservancy teamed up with Chickadeeds, a local organization that connects families and community members through hands-on volunteer opportunities, for an afternoon of stewardship, creativity, and community engagement at the Eastern Promenade. The event brought together 90 volunteers and local partners to care for and help shape one of Portland's most beloved public spaces.

The afternoon featured three interactive activities focused on environmental stewardship, playground improvements, and community creativity. Volunteers rotated between activities every 30 minutes, giving everyone an opportunity to participate.

City of Portland Community Tree Steward Ashley McHugh and Maine Audubon Community Tree Steward Sky Milstein led volunteers in invasive plant removal and live staking. This restoration technique involves planting cuttings from native shrubs directly into the ground, where they can take root and grow into new plants, helping restore the park's natural areas.

Tatyana Vashchenko, Project Manager with the City of Portland, guided an interactive design activity where participants shared their ideas for the future of Will's Playground, contributing to plans for a more accessible, inclusive, and welcoming play space. Meanwhile, Christina Bechstein, Director of Love Lab Studio, worked with volunteers to assemble lantern-making kits in preparation for the upcoming Portland Lantern Walk.

We're grateful to Chickadeeds for bringing together such an enthusiastic group of volunteers, to Ashley, Sky, Tatyana, and Christina for sharing their expertise and leading the activities, and to everyone who participated. The afternoon highlighted the power of community collaboration and the many ways we can work together to care for Portland's parks and shape their future.