BUCKINGHAM POND PARK TRAVERSE Monday, April 7, 2008
Buckingham Pond Park may be divided into the following sectors:

WEST END, bordered by Davis Ave (W), Berkshire (N) the Milner Ave footpath
(E) and Milner Ave/Rafts Way intersection (S)

CENTRAL NORTH AND SOUTH bordered by Berkshire (N), Milner Ave footpath
(W) Rafts Way(S) and an imaginary line projected through pond from Lenox
Ave (E)

EAST END, that part of pond and shore lying East of the imaginary Lenox
Ave line, and bordered by the bend in Berkshire N and S.

The East End, South Shore needs to have a bulkhead installed adjacent to
to footpath between Euclid and Lenox. Fill should be added and Red Osier
Dogwoods planted to stabilize the shore.

The Central South footpath/shore from Lenox to Holmes Dale needs to
have vines cut from trees and dangerous limbs and branches removed.
That portion along Rafts Way between Holmes Dale and Milner has
consider able litter.
The young Hemlocks, between Colonial and Milner, need further clearing of brush and vines around their bases, to permit these trees to grow.
Last year the City installed improved lighting along the Milner Ave footpath
corridor. This is a great improvement.

The North Central sector is the most heavily utilized part of the park
containing the children's play area, and picnic grove as well as parking
semi circle. This part of the park is the best maintained.
Shoreline erosion control and stabilzation, and planting of more trees and
flowering bushes are priorities.

The West End is the least utilized part of the park. It contains the small
holding pond at Berkshire and Davis, which should be fenced off to prevent
possible drownings.
Vines need to be cut from trees and litter removed in the part bordering
Davis Ave to Greenway.

Park paths are in need of resurfacing with bluestone gravel. Not the
powdery kind that compacts and becomes slippery when wet.
Hopefully, Jack will return to maintain the park. But, he needs help.
City Parks Dept crews can remove litter, cut vines, clear brush, trim
dangerous limbs/brances along footpaths, resurface footpaths with
gravel, and plant more trees/flowering bushes and wildlfowers.

Summer help can be of assistance also. Ideally, neighborhood
youngsters and, perhaps a few seniors, to supervize completion of specific
work assignments should be the objective.

Pond water quality can be greatly enhanced by shoreline erosion control
and stabilzation efforts, as well as reducing the run off from road salt and
lawn chemicals that occurs from streets and homelots in the pond
watershed.

Public safety can be improved by participation of homeowner/apartment
watch observers,and dog walkers, pedestrians and joggers carrying cell
phones keyed into the APD and Anti-Terror Hotline numbers; and by the
City installing blue light emergency call boxes at key locations in the park.
Lastly, the APD need to monitor the Central North and South parts of the
park for possible drug trafficking and drinking bashes.
Our neighborhood Association does not sponsor park clean up sessions
because of insurance/liability concerns.

Joe Sullivan