Fort Tryon Park Trust Friends Committee
The Friends Committee is a group of local individuals which aims to involve the entire community surrounding the park in maintaining and improving the park’s appearance and condition, and promoting its constructive use by the public. The Friends’ structure and programs are designed to achieve these goals in partnership with other local civic groups.
The Friends Committee serves as an important vehicle to solicit community input on a broad spectrum of park related issues. We convene forums to evaluate park needs, prioritize capital projects, and develop fun and accessible public programs.
Programs
Over the last several seasons, the Friends Committee has underwritten hundreds of free fitness programs. Year round, folks get and stay in shape at our Fitness Walking programs. In summer and fall, we’ve offered Sunset Yoga, Sunrise Tai Chi, Autumn Tai Chi, and, new in 2009, Qi Gong.
Recently Nature Adventures for Kids, a free program for children ages 4 to 6, was developed in collaboration with our Friends Committee. These hands-on programs included such kid favorites as What Dinosaurs Ate in the Park and Lovely Ladybugs.
Volunteer
For those who like to pitch in and get their hands in the soil, we sponsor regular beautification days throughout the year. At our October 2009 Beautification Day, more than 175 people readied the park for fall and planted thousands of spring-blooming tulips and daffodils. To sign up for the next beautification day, Javascript is required to send an email about Beautification days or use the contact form.
2013 Beautification Days
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Meet at Margaret Corbin Circle
- March 24 – Spring planting prep
- April 21 – Celebrate Earth Day
- April 28 – Rain Date - Celebrate Earth Day
- May 19 – Painting
- June 30 – Beautification Event
- July 14 – Beautification Event
- August 11 – Beautification Event
- September 29 – Fall Planting Prep
- November 3 – Bulb Planting Jubilee
- November 10 – Rain Date Bulb Planting Jubilee
Currently, the Friends are offering the following volunteer opportunities:
- Provide Visitor Information services
- Act as Community Liaison to the Parks Department
- Translate Fort Tryon Park Trust publications such as The Gazette and Discover the Treasures of Fort Tryon Park brochure into Spanish.
- Help to plan a four season MP3 tour of the Heather Garden
- Help write our quarterly newsletter, The Gazette
- Help plan, execute, photograph our park events
The Friends Committee serves as the advocacy arm of the Fort Tryon Park Trust and all our events and activities are designed to enhance and promote our landmarked treasure. New Friends are always welcome. Learn more about our volunteer opportunities.
