Who keeps Philadelphia’s neighborhood parks clean, active, and welcoming?

In many cases, it’s Park Friends groups—volunteer-led groups that handle much of the hands-on work. They organize cleanups, coordinate basic maintenance, and host events that bring people into the space, working alongside city staff to keep parks functional and beautiful day to day.

Liz Dailey has been part of one of these Park Friends groups for nearly 40 years. She shares her experience as part of the Friends of Gold Star Park.
 

The Work Behind the Green Space

 
The park gets heavy use, especially from kids and dog owners, so maintenance is a constant need. The lawn has to be reseeded every year after being, in Dailey’s words, “loved to death.”

The city helps by aerating the soil and providing materials like seed, but volunteers handle much of the process, spreading seeds, raking them in, and covering the soil with straw. When things get especially messy in the park, they organize additional cleanups.
 

Programming That Keeps People Coming Back

 
The Gold Star Park Friends group also runs events: flea markets, holiday festivals, and Kids at Play, where children participate in activities like planting seeds in pots that they can take home. In the summer, they set up a “water day” using hoses from nearby homes, bringing families together to enjoy a day outside. 

Love Your Park: A Moment That Brings It Together

Events like Love Your Park highlight the role Friends Groups play at a larger scale. These citywide cleanups bring out volunteers across neighborhoods at the same time, but the coordination happens locally.

The city supports the effort by collecting trash and helping with logistics, but the success of the day relies heavily on these on-the-ground organizers. Groups like Dailey’s put in the work to advertise the workday, recruit volunteers, and set up the workday so it runs smoothly. Local businesses like Benna’s Cafe often contribute coffee and snacks, helping transform the cleanup into a social event where neighbors can get to know each other and build community.

For Friends Groups, Love Your Park is more than a single day of work. The event increases visibility, brings in new volunteers, and reinforces the idea that the park is a shared responsibility.

“[Everyone] should come to Love Your Park, because they’re probably not too far from a park. And that’s the most important thing,” Liz says.

Want to get involved? Find your Park Friends group here and sign up to volunteer at your local park during Love Your Park Week this May 9 – 17.