A STROLL AROUND BUCKINGHAM POND PARK 4/9/07 The underbrush has not been cleared to promote growth of remaining trees. Vines are strangling many trees. The vines need to be cut away. Now is the time for the City Parks Dept to do these things, before the vegetation leafs out obscuring these problems for another season. The Southern and Western margins of the park are most in need of these corrective actions.


Litter and trash is very visible, particularly along the South Shore path from Euclid to Milner Ave. Graffiti is visible around the Park and should be immediately removed. This park belongs to the people not wannabe gang bangers. The planters at both ends of the Milner Ave foot bridge need to be cleaned with new soil added, and freshly painted to obscure graffiti. Graffiti needs to be removed from the guard rail, South side at foot of Euclid and
Berkshire. The split rail fencing at the Milner Ave foot path needs restoration, with missing or damaged rails replaced.

There was considerable small litter along the North shore of the Pond from the MIlner Ave foot path to the East end of the pond. Signs nailed to trees proclaimed that it safe to skate on the pond....don't think so...no ice. Why are these signs nailed to the trees? Why are they still there? Who would be responsible if some mentally challenged youngsters, or adults, attempted to skate on the water, and drowned?

People were observed stuffing household trash into the trash barrels at the semi-circle/parking area at the foot of Colonial, North side of pond.

The pond is in need of shoreline stablization. Water tolerant bushed , like Red Osier Dogwoods need to be planted. They also add visual beauty in winter by displaying brillant red forms which contrast nicely with new fallen snow.

Footpaths are in need of restoration. The additional path lighting, and blue light emergency call boxes were never installed, particularly around the Milner Ave foot path and the wooded foot path between Lenox and Holmes Dale, South side of pond. Maybe this year?

The pond park needs a comprehensive park plan that provides for a systematic tree , flowering bushes and wildflower planting program. The brush choking the conifers planted on the dredged fill, along Raft's Way, needs to be cleared, so the Hemlocks and other evergreens can grow healthy and strong. The deteriorating water quality of the pond will be improved, if road salt dumping and excessive lawn chemical/fertilizer run off from streets and lawns in the pond watershed, are greatly reduced or eliminated. People have to pick up their dog droppings. The wooded Western and Southern parts of the pond park
have to be improved, with dumping of yard wastes and youth drinking-drug gatherings eliminated.

The City Parks Department should have a couple of workers, working at the pond park, all year round. Retired gentlemen would do nicely. When kids are assigned to work in the pond park they should work - not sit and play cards or hoops. They need assigned responsibilities and proper supervision. Preference should be given to employment of local, neighborhood kids, because they will pressure their peers not to vandalize the good work that the youthful employees do.

Residents living around the pond park perimeter need to be active in the neighborhood watch, reporting suspicious activities/individuals to the APD.

We need an active Buckingham Pond Park Committee. Volunters? Call me: 438 5230 Joe Sullivan