Friends of Goodwin Park (FOGP)

FOGP was formed as a community group to watch over the park's maintenance and work on projects to improve the park.  Click here for a brief history of the park.

At the last meeting we met with Jack Hale from the Parks Department and were told that our only option for the Hubbard Road fence was black or green chain link either 4 ft. or 6 ft. high.  A 6 ft. black fence was opted for.  Vice President Mary McAtee presented a new concept plan for the future of Goodwin Park.  Click here to read the plan.  Jack also announced that within a month the road in the park would be closed to through traffic, something the Friends has advocated for several years to make the park more pedestrian friendly.  Drivers will now have to turn around at the two large parking lots in the park and the road between the lots will be closed off.  Jack also mentioned that the Metropolitan District Corporation is looking to use part of the Hubbard Road parking lot to store construction vehicles while work is being done on the project to separate waste water sewerage from storm drainage.  This would mean a temporary curb cut and entrance to the lot from Hubbard Road and a lighted and fenced in area where the vehicles would be stored.  The fencing would be screened so the vehicles would  would not be visible from the park or Hubbard Road.  While we might be able to leverage some park work for allowing M.D.C. to do this it would have an impact on Hubbard Road residents and their input is being sought before a decision is made.

Thanks to the group "Heads Up Hartford" whose volunteers gave up their Columbus Day Holiday to work on the park from 1:00-4:-00 and accomplished the following:
(1) Used wire brushes to clean the grills near the pond house.
(2) Spray painted over the graffiti on the park benches and sanded off the graffiti that was covering the signs indicating the benches had been donated in 1998 by     The Friends of Goodwin Park.
(3) Added mulch to the flower beds at the entrances to the park.
(4) Laid woodchips to improve the walking path along Maple Avenue.
All of the adults supervisors worked beside the volunteers to complete the tasks- they made a great effort and a significant contribution.  Heads up Hartford is a faith based group which brings suburban kids together with city kids several times a year to work on various projects.  For information on "Heads Up Hartford" check out their website at:  www.headsuphartford.org 

Thanks to the "Do It Day" volunteers from Trinity College who came to the park on Saturday, September 10.  About 50 volunteers cleaned up trash throughout the park, cut and applied tough brush killer to Poison Ivy vines killing park trees, applied wood protector to work out stations on the Maple Avenue side of the park and weeded the entrance gardens off Hubbard Road.  Members Gene Mayfield, Jon and Dianne Ney, and George Sirois worked with the volunteers.  Thanks again to Knox Parks who supplied tools and trash bags for the event.

Past projects include the installation of a flagpole at the park entrance and the installation of permanent benches around the park's walkway.  FOGP has also organized community events at the park such as the Fall Foliage Festival, Easter Egg Hunt, and a park cleanup followed by a neighborhood picnic.

Current projects include:  1.  Pushing for the return of funds by the City for enclosing the park pool.  2.  Having the road through the Park closed to thru traffic thus making it safer for children and adults to play, jog, walk or cycle in the park. There is increased traffic through the Park in the Summer months along with an increase in litter and illegal dumping.  The "Friends" feel that the Park can be easily accessed and enjoyed by parking at one of the numerous lots in the park without using the park road as a thru street.  3.  Getting the increasingly foul pond by the Pond House cleaned up.  Click here for City e-mail addresses to contact.  4.  Taking care of the poisonous vines that are strangling the trees in the southwest section of the park. 5.  Trying to keep the park maintained.

Our motto is Neighbors helping Neighbors  for a better neighborhood.  Anyone interested in getting involved with FOGP is invited to attend our monthly meeting held at 7 p.m. every third Monday of the month at the Pond House located near the Hubbard Road entrance to the park. (See map below)  Since the park straddles the Wethersfield/Hartford line we would like to see people from both communities get involved.

The next meeting:  Our next meeting will be on Monday, April 16, at 7P.M.

 All meetings will be held at the Pond House (see map below for directions) unless indicated otherwise.  Anyone interested in the welfare of the park is invited to attend.

For more information call Vice President Mary McAtee at 860-655-4017 or e-mail Mary at: mmcatee04@aol.com

   Left: Goodwin Park Pond House                      Below: Map of Goodwin Park