By Lisa Kava
In April 2022, a group of neighbors who live and/or work on West 72nd Street joined forces to form the West 72nd Street Block Association. “Our vision is to build West 72nd Street into the shining hub of the Upper West Side where everyone can benefit and enjoy,” said Rita Genn, one of the founding members.
Now, the West 72nd Street Block Association will host its first Spring Community Volunteer Day on Saturday May 20th from 9:30-12:30 PM. Block Association members together with volunteers from the local community will help beautify tree beds on West 72nd Street from Central Park West to Riverside Drive. Volunteers are needed and welcome. You can sign up in advance by clicking here.
Work will include cleaning tree beds, mulching, and general cleanup work. The Block Association has partnered with NYC Parks Tree Time , a program run by the New York City Parks Department, which aims to protect, preserve, and enhance New York City’s street, park, and forest trees.
The work is part of a greater project where the block association has partnered with Tree Time, a program run by the New York City Parks Department, which aims to protect, preserve, and enhance New York City’s street, park, and forest trees. Through this partnership, work on 45 tree beds will take place over a period of time. That work will include tree bed expansion, removal of old tree guards, installation of new tree guards, removal of tree stumps, and planting of new trees.
Volunteers will meet on the south side of West 72nd Street at Verdi Square at 9:30 AM. There will be a welcome table set up with balloons indicating the meeting spot. Members of the 72nd Street Block Association will distribute gardening supplies and assign gardening and cleaning activities to the volunteers.
Partnership for Parks, Council Member Gale Brewer, Love Your Street Tree Day, the Broadway Mall Association, and Goddard Riverside Greenkeepers are all partners with the West 72nd Street Block Association in the Spring Community Volunteer Day.
To learn more about the 72nd Street Block Association, Spring Community Volunteer Day, and other planned activities, contact Rita Genn at w72streetblockassociation@gmail.com.
Correction: We originally misstated the work that volunteers will be doing. Work will include cleaning tree beds, mulching, and general cleanup work.
This block needs this so badly — thank you to the organizers!
Thanks so much for organizing this! I will definitely be volunteering
The other day at 7pm many of us were in Duane Reade at 72nd/Broadway. A man came in dressed entirely in black; black hood back mask baggy black pants and giant black plastic bag. He proceeded to stuff the plastic bag with all the candy hanging next to the check out line. When done, he left. The register guy yelled are you paying? The guy was already gone. No security was in the store.
We need help here. Empty stores for blocks and blocks. Derelicts sprawled out on the street half dressed dirt and garbage all over. We never knew there was a block association. Maybe cleaning the street first would be a good idea.
Maybe volunteering to help clean would be a good start for you as well. It’s an opportunity to get out and meet your neighbors and do a little to make the world a better place.
Sadly have prior commitments this Saturday. Would have LOVED to volunteer! Better luck next time!
I was tied up for this but would like to take part in the future. Early notice would help. Is there a sign up / email list?
I can remember when a significant number of the Zone Gardners were firede and their work meted out to volunteers. It was a tragic loss for the park and we who love it. I have nothing against the volunteers, but find the outreach for more volunteers abrasive and misguided. The ad above doesn’t include job openings for the trained professionals who once cared for sections of the park. I would have preferred the cost of the ad along with other ads, witness the Columbus Circle #1 train ad, be used to hire some professionals to resume the voided positions. Money could also be spent enforcing park rules. Unleashed dogs and e-bikes are a problem. Tour and birdwatching group leaders with PA systms and/or recorded audio played at high volume are a major nuisance.