Addison seeks help to spruce up parks

It's not easy being green -- environmentally green, that is.

So the Addison Park District is seeking help from local volunteers for its first-ever Park Pride Clean and Green Day.

Geri Estvanik, the park district's manager of community leisure services, said the May event will help both residents and park district staff get back to basics.

"It's long overdue," Estvanik said. "We are really trying to make the parks a place where people can go an enjoy open space. It doesn't always have to be signing up for a class."

Scout troops and homeowners associations already have signed up for the event, where they will help clean the parks, mulch planting beds and play areas, plant flowers and pull weeds.

But more volunteers and park captains are needed. Captains will recruit volunteers, motivate their team and hand out assignments.

Local businesses also are needed to sponsor a lunch celebration at Community Park that will follow the cleanup.

Estvanik said organizers hope residents will cultivate year-round involvement with their neighborhood parks after the event, which might become an annual tradition.

"It creates a sense of pride and another set of eyes and ears," she said.

The extra vigilance might help prevent vandalism, too, which caused about $50,000 in damages to Wilderness Park last year.

"That really hit hard for the park district and the residents in that area," Estvanik said. "That was really devastating."

Wilderness Park reopened in November. In addition to scheduling the May cleanup, the park district created a special committee to explore ways to conserve resources like electricity and paper products.

"It's a new direction for the park district," Estvanik said.

How to help

Addison Park Pride Clean and Green Day

When:9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 10

Where: Parks throughout the village

Cost: Free

Details: (630) 833-0100 or e-mail Gestvanik@addisonparkdistrict.org