Friends of Pastorius Park

Quita Woodward Horan, preservationist and community benefactor, has passed away. Quita was the founder and first president of Friends of Pastorius Park. Memorial contributions may be made to Friends of Pastorius Park on our webpage: www.friendsofpastorius.org or mailed to:... Friends of Pastorius Park P.O. Box 27158 Market Square Station Philadelphia, PA 19118 See more

Dear Friends, FoPP wrapped up 2019 addressing a number of necessary park maintenance projects, including removal of the little Charlie Brown Xmas tree from the hut’s chimney, and repairing and cleaning the hut’s slate roof. In late spring, for safety’s sake, our organization had a local arborist trim many dead limbs from the trees above and surrounding the park’s amphitheater area. Beyond FoPP’s continued care for the park’s trees, the most demanding work at Pastorius is ou...r yearly maintenance of the park’s water system. This weather-sensitive work is usually performed each spring, over the first two weekends of April. After the City draws down the pond water (and our turtles are secured in the moat), FoPP volunteers move with snow shovels and wheel barrows a year’s worth of leaves, organic material and sediment run off to the level edge of the pond for removal. After this, FoPP has our pond specialist, Herman Twelkmeyer, install our aeration fountains and circulating pumps, and then the pond is refilled. These devices are essential to keeping the shallow pond waters moving, oxygenated and healthy. Particularly in the warmer months, also suppressing the development of mosquito larvae. (While the pond water is drawn down next spring, we will have our turtle perch repaired, as it partially collapsed this fall). FoPP shoulders the entire expense each year of maintaining and servicing the fountains and pumps. Additionally, every few years it is necessary for FoPP to clean out the moat beneath the concert performance area. Once a critical mass of leaves and other matter builds up in the moat it becomes a fetid quagmire and is no longer the quietly flowing reflecting pool that complements the summer concerts. This job is a great expense, but it is one that FoPP has regularly undertaken, because the City will not. In order to continue this critical work we are appealing to the park community to please consider making a yearly, tax-deductible donation to our all-volunteer, non-profit organization. You can easily make a donation on our website: friendsofpastorius.org. Checks can also still be sent to the FoPP address above. Many thanks for your generosity. Sincerely, Tracy Gardner, President, Friends of Pastorius Park