Riverside Park Clean-up Day! April 14th

Clean UP Day at Riverside Park - Things We Will Need!

April 14th, 2012 From 10AM to ?

People can Bring the following: And Please Wear Gloves and Wear Appropriate Clothing 

• Bug Spray (I hear ticks are really bad?)
  
• Any and all hand held yard tools - Trimmers 
  
• 5-6 Shovels 
  
• Racks 
  
• Leaf and Rock 
  
• Saws 
  
• Any kind Trash Bags
  
• Wheel Barrels 
  
• Two or three Lawn Mowers - WHATEVER with the nice weather it needs it now! 
  
• Leaf Blower - One or Two Weed Wacker - 
  
• One or Two Back-hoes ???  
  
• White Kilz's Paint - Rolles and brushes
  

Anything else anyone can think of just bring it - Please make all your tools and equipment; name, address etc. 

Basically, Riverside Park lost everything the following is just a sample of what was lost:

• ALL the Skating ring stuff - Shed - skates - rink - equipment etc
• The stage was damaged beyond repair
  
• New 10'x20' Shed
  
• New John Deer Tractor
  
• John Deer Tractor
  
• All Tools - For gardening and for tractor maintenance
  
• Large Gazebo
  
• Many newly planted trees 
  
• Many old growth trees
  
• The walk-way to the caboose destroyed
  
•   and the caboose its self is very damaged
  
• The swing sets look good, but have not been inspected
  
•   and ALL the base for the the playground and volleyball court was ruined
  
• The basketball courts are in disrepair 
  
• The Memorial Garden with years of plantings is gone
  
• The gentle slope to the river is now a 10' to 12' bank
  
• The half the boat launch is under mud
  
• The sign needs to be repainted
  
•   and all the signage was damage 
  
• We lost all the benches and picnic tables
  

and on and on and on and I probably missed much!!!

The following is a letter written asking for help of any kind - Please pass it on!

April, 11 2012

Riverside Park
Intersection Route 6 Bypass and Route 29, 
Tunkhannock, PA 18657

To Whom it May Concern,

Riverside Park, a beautiful park along the Susquehanna River in Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, overlooking the Endless Mountains, has been a viable asset to our community for decades. It is a beautiful and scenic area for the community and visitors of the Endless Mountains to enjoy the undisturbed outdoors. There is no other place to get closer to nature’s beauty than at Riverside Park. Riverside Park has made available an outside gathering area, and many people have enjoyed fishing, hiking, picnicking, boating, skating, playing, exploring, wandering and relaxing at the park for years. 

The Borough of Tunkhannock acquired this land after the historic 1972 flood that devastated residents’ homes when the land was declared uninhabitable. Around 1980, in conjunction with and large support of the Wyoming Chamber of Commerce and Proctor & Gamble, the land was rehabilitated into the park we have come to love today. The originators’ hard work and consistent effort has afforded a park with a heavily used public boat launch, picnic areas, basketball and volleyball courts, playgrounds, a skating rink, walking areas, areas for cultural and sports events, and the Historic Black Diamond Caboose. 

Riverside Park has an exponential amount of potential. Unfortunately, the park has very little money and is now in desperate need of repair.  It is becoming a hangout for kids causing trouble. Repairs and upkeep have fallen on the members of the Park Commission and a few volunteers. We are so appreciative of the hard work of our Commission and volunteers who try their best to keep the park looking nice. We just do not have the financial resources to give the park what it needs to survive and more importantly, prosper. 

We are currently trying to become part of the Iroquois Trail that will connect the recreational facilities in the borough and the township, and then connect them with local commerce. 

We will use the railroad bed as a trail that will run for six or seven miles connecting area parks, schools, and other recreational facilities. Once the trail is connected to Lazybrook Park in Tunkhannock Township, the trail will then connect to Riverside Park and use borough access through Riverside Park’s West Street tunnel under busy Route 6. This will allow pedestrians’ safe passage into the Historic town of Tunkhannock and will bring many new visitors and opportunities to entertain at the park. Again, and sadly, this also means more money is needed to advance, grow, and provide for the future.

The above was written in June of 2011, then in September of that same year the rains poured down on our little town. Much of Northeastern/Central Pennsylvania and parts of New York experienced flooding that has not been seen for decades. 

Our normally tranquil river began to show a darker, more malevolent side. By all accounts, hundreds of homes and businesses were devastated by the flood that summer, estimates of the damage topping millions of dollars.

It took years of hard work, effort and money to get the park to where it was that June when the first letter was drafted. Unfortunately, even then Riverside Park would have been considered only “presentable” to the public. 

We were, however, finally to the point that basic maintenance was somewhat manageable for volunteers and we were ready to tackle bigger project on a as-we-could-afford basis.

The flood of September 2011, took everyone by surprise. As a community we are all in agreement that emergency personnel provided top-notch protection and all are thankful that no one was seriously hurt in the imitate area. The park, however, was on the front line of attack and unfortunately lost everything. All our hard work was lost and/or damaged beyond repair.

Cleanup, repairs and replacement needs far out weigh our budget and man power. Leaving us unsure as to how to continue providing for the park. The Riverside Park Commission does, however, have the capability to provide a large amount of love to our needy park. 

We are sincerely asking for any charitable contribution toward repair, maintenance and the continued up-keep of this essential community resource. Riverside Park Commission hopes, with your help, that the park will continue to provide enjoyment for years to come. 

Only with your help can we hope to maintain the park’s magnificent past and prepare it for future generations. Help us set aside a place where children and grandchildren can enjoy a pristine undisturbed piece of this planet. One that the community has had the privilege of enjoying for so many years. 

We cannot do this without your help. 

Thank you for your time, consideration, and support. 
Sincerely,
Riverside Park Commission

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