(Photo courtesy Kate Farley)
From back when it was just an idea for what to do with a big empty city-owned lot, through Parks and Green Spaces Levy funding, community meetings, and now, volunteer-powered site work, the birth of the Barton Street P-Patch (34th/Barton) has charged forward. Of all the work parties they’ve had, this weekend is among the most pivotal – they’re starting to “form the web” that makes up the garden design, and they need labor help the next two weekends – including anyone with construction skills -as well as donated materials, and some tools (all the way up to a cement mixer – they have one, and need one more) – read on for details:

From outreach chair Terri Lindow:

Calling all volunteers!
We are beginning to form the web!!
This weekend is our opportunity to get a huge start on the retaining walls. Due to the limited availability of our crew leaders (and the generosity of a local contractor), we need to make this happen over the next two weekends. We need volunteers for a half day each work day if possible.

Labor needs:
Saturday and Sunday 7/9-10
Our main job- Build forms for cast in place retaining wall on the main entrance ADA walkway.
8 people needed, full or half day shifts.
Other jobs: Hand dig ADA path -down about 6″, move small chunks of rubble (in buckets) to main ADA path where we will use as fill after forms are built, wash and sort into buckets the round found rocks-they will be used as detail in retaining walls, move dirt pile to berms, load pick up truck and spread manure on berms, wheelbarrow chips to berms, dig post holes for concrete posts. All are welcome to come and give the time that they have, whether it’s an hour or two or three.

Saturday and Sunday 7/16-17
Pour retaining walls. This will be exciting work as we see the walls that form the web come together
We need 10 workers (half day shifts= 20 volunteers) The goal is to spread the work
out amongst many hands so no one is over loaded. This weekend we will also have a variety of other tasks, so all levels of help are needed

We are also seeking donations of the following materials and tools.

Materials needed:
We have four 2x12x20 pine form boards…would be nice to have more so we could move along faster.
We need 3/4″ CDX plywood to make braces. The pieces need to be at least one square foot. Check your scrap pile

Tools:
concrete mixer 2 needed, we have one
heavy duty wheelbarrows 4 needed, we have 2
crummy shovels (for concrete work) 6 needed
3′ birk stakes-24 know anyone who could lend these?
wire for rebar

Refreshments:
We could also use a couple of volunteers to bring cold drinks and light refreshments this weekend and next. Water, iced tea, light snacks have been very well received by volunteers at previous work parties.

To RSVP, you can post in the Barton Street P-Patch Facebook group – or e-mail kfarleylandscapedesign@gmail.com.