Parks
Please contact our Parks Co-Chairs Joe Layton and Lisa Ferguson if you'd like to get involved with our Parks Cleanups.
Email them: parks@mordecaicac.org
Get involved with the Parks Committee!
Have you noticed the improvements that have taken place in our neighborhood parks and green spaces lately? That is because of the hard work of our parks volunteers! Co-chairs Joe Layton and Sarah Roholt have organized volunteer work days in conjunction with the very helpful City Parks department, and their efforts have really been appreciated.
Since December 2015, volunteers have been working monthly with city staff to clean up Poplar Street Park. The goal was to remove invasive plants. With guidance from Leigh Bragassa (Invasive Program Coordinator) and other city staff, volunteers removed a variety of invasive plants throughout the park including ivy and non-invasive smilax which had covered many of the trees. Volunteers also pruned shrubs along Poplar Street making it easier and safer to use the sidewalk. Later this year, the city will remove larger non-native trees and shrubs. With more sunlight coming into the park, we are waiting to see what understory and ground plants emerge.
Team members cleaned up the Marshal Street green space on February 21, 2017. Volunteers continued invasive removal along park boundaries and the Marshall Park south end.
On March 6, 2017, our neighborhood parks committee hosted the official Arbor Day Celebration for the City of Raleigh! The City had many volunteers helping with the planting project as Neighborwoods Trees were planted along the Mordecai streets. Volunteers also replaced the trees lost on Marshall Street Hill.
In 2018 the group has spread mulch in the Mordecai Mini-Park, and had several cleanup days in the Marshall Street creek.
In October 2018, the group planted Bee Balm, Blazing Stars, Ironweed and Coneflower in the Poplar Springs park. The plants were well watered and triple shred hardwood mulch was applied. Check the new plants and the other 54 that were planted last year on your next visit. A big thank you to Leigh with the City of Raleigh in coordinating with the nursery and acquiring all plants!
On November 4, 2019, new plantings were put in around the Mordecai signs! Big thanks MCAC Parks Committee members Philip Bernard, Bill DuPre, Becky Hayes, Sarah Roholt and Joe Layton for their hard work. They planted 20 flats of plant material around the new Mordecai Signs! The Parks committee will take responsibility for watering and maintenance.
Workdays continued through 2019 as the group moved on to Poplar Springs Park, and a separate group led by folks from Pelagic Beer and Wine worked in Meadowbrook Park. Look for new plantings and less invasive species in these parks during the spring of 2020.
Thanks to the Parks Committee for their time and commitment in making our community a better place to live and grow. If you would like to get involved with the Parks Committee, join us at the next work day! Contact parks@mordecaicac.org if you'd like to be added to the Parks Committee volunteer list.
Let Lisa and Joe know if you'd like to volunteer to help to improve our Mordecai parks!
Parks/Open Spaces
Poplar Spring (located at the five points intersection in the Mordecai neighborhood)
Mordecai Spring (located on Mordecai Drive behind the Mordecai Historic Park)
Marshall Street Open Space (creek area at Marshall Street)
Meadowbrook Open Space (corner of Frank and Norris Streets, across from Conn Elementary School)
Community Center
Check out all of the amazing programs and kids camps at our newly renovated community center!