Powers Park Conservancy adds another initiative for community involvement at Port Richmond park
By Melissa Komar
Powers Park has become an outdoor hub of activities for the Port Richmond community in the past couple of years thanks to efforts of the Powers Park Conservancy.
From a weekly farmers market to an annual Halloween dog parade, there’s an opportunity for every resident to come out to the park whatever their passion may be.
And there are two more reasons to enjoy the public space located behind the Richmond Library at the corner of Almond and Ann streets.
Game Night has returned for the third summer thanks to volunteers and husband and wife duo Jan and Donna Galas.
The couple previously hosted the kid-friendly event at Stokley Playground for four years before moving it to Powers Park because of the construction at the playground.
Games are “old-school, outdoor fun kids wouldn’t otherwise enjoy because of technology today,” according to Donna Galas, and include water balloon tosses, hoola hoops, freeze dance and hot potato.
The games are geared toward ages 3 to 12 and prizes such as $5 Rita’s Water Ice gift cards and trinkets from Five Below are given out.
The event is free, and Donna and her husband provide the prizes as a “donation to the neighborhood.”
“I just think it’s good for the kids to be outside and hanging out with each other instead of sitting at home on their iPads,” Galas said. “And it keeps them out of trouble and entertained on a Thursday night.”
Jan Galas is also one of the volunteers of the recently created Community Cares Gardening Committee at the park.
John Kalicki, president of the Powers Park Conservancy, and “vivacious gardener” and volunteer, Francine Rozich started the new group.
The idea for the initiative was developed at the group’s June meeting.
While it’s been a rough start due to a storm and the heat, a few volunteers have come out to help plant in the first two weeks since starting the initiative, according to Kalicki.
One of the immediate goals of the group is “to add some color to the park” in anticipation of upcoming events including Water Ice with a Cop on Thursday, Aug. 10, and Parks on Tap, from Sept. 27 to Oct. 1, according to John Wilson, master of coin.
Projects may range from planting flowers to fixing the fence that surrounds the small garden in the middle of the park.
“It’s a working meeting. More people wanted to be involved in the gardening, and the committee was a way to have a united plan for the park landscape,” Kalicki said.
While the Powers Park Conservancy has collected gardening tools from various cleanups, volunteers are welcome to bring their own tools.
Game Night at Powers Park will be held on Thursdays, July 27, Aug. 10 and 24, at 6:30 p.m. The Community Cares Gardening Committee will meet in the park every Thursday, from 6 to 7 p.m. All are welcome to participate. For details on events at Powers Park, follow the Powers Park Conservancy group on Facebook. The Powers Park Conservancy has open meetings every first Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the Richmond Library, 2987 Almond St.
