One of the perks of being an Intern each semester in the College of Social Work is to complete a specified number of Human Rights Activity hours outside of our internship advocating for local parks, social justice organizations, and other civic minded causes that give back in ways, small and large.
I chose to begin with Friends of Portal Park, the smallest of Columbus Recreation and Parks official “pocket parks”, at just 0.13 acres. You may have seen it at the corner of Arcadia Avenue and High Street, and perhaps blinked! On your next drive by, take some time to stop and linger from the hustle of High Street on the benches and hardscape walls provided for your leisure and repose. You can learn more about the history of Portal Park here.
Our team of local neighbors from the north in Clintonville and the south in University District/Olde North/SoHud (“South of Hudson”) all came together to remove graffiti off the garbage cans and the retaining wall that every car who visits Tim Horton’s gets to view. We also picked up trash, pruned back countless day lilies, laid mulch and wood bark chips, and raked the leaves beginning to fall.
If you are interested in joining, FoPP meets at the park the last Sunday of every month from 9 AM until 11 AM or when the clean up is done! Great group, great opportunity!
Keith, Mike, Scott, Alexus, Marie, Jenny, and Kristina