Playing Together: Keep Genesee County Beautiful programs help residents improve and enhance public spaces in the City of Flint
Sarginson City Park was run-down, over-grown, and anything but welcoming. In the past few years, the West Flint Community Watch and South Baptist Church have adopted the park through the Keep Genesee County Beautiful (KGCB) Adopt-A-Park Program. Group members held monthly park cleanups, repaired and repainted run-down playground equipment, cleared out overgrown vegetation, and hosted a neighborhood party bringing about 250 residents together to enjoy the park.
As a result of their hard work, the park received a new baseball infield, backstop, bleachers, and player benches as well as four picnic tables and five benches. Sarginson Park has become a clean and safe place where children can play and adults can gather. Now the pavilion is filled with birthday parties and reunions as the children enjoy the playground area.
“You should have seen this place two years ago,” said Will Shoemaker, vice president of the West Flint Community Watch. “It was a mess. We’ve cleaned, painted, and organized, and we’ve enjoyed working together to make this a much better place.”
We know that small grants can have a big impact when it comes to strengthening Flint neighborhoods. Our support to KGCB totaled $17,833 and funded 23 events through the Adopt a Park-Program, and 11 beautification projects through the Beautification Mini-Grant Program.
