The Rev. Linnette C. Williamson Memorial Park Association, Inc.

what we do

The Park Association was founded in 1994 as a neighborhood empowerment project for low-income, disadvantaged residents to use our nonprofit, nonsectarian organization as a tool to “learn by doing” while improving their neighborhood. As Central Harlem continues to experience dramatic changes in the demographics of the community, our original purpose has been expanded. We now also serve as a vehicle to bring together an increasingly diverse racial, economic, religious and cultural population for the benefit of all.

Land Trust

The conservation for public use of our three vest-pocket parks and community gardens, and one “open-space” children’s playground – two of which are owned by The Park Association and two by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation – is the core service provided by our land trust. Without the protection and maintenance of these properties by the volunteers on our Board of Directors and in our membership, none of our other community services – all critical to improving the quality of inner-city life – would be possible.

Art and the Gardens Summer Youth Enrichment Program

In partnership with the Bank Street College of Education, Art and the Gardens offers 25 children from Central Harlem (ages 5-11) an intensive summer enrichment program that works to stimulate creativity and improve academic and literacy skills. With projects in art, horticulture and agriculture, environmental education, music, dance, photography and more, children who participate in the program can learn important life skills including peaceful conflict resolution while building self-esteem.

Gardening

Three of our parks (Rev. Williamson, Unity and Bowman Parks) offer raised gardening beds. More than 50 residents and their families, serving as ‘big city farmers,” plant and harvest vegetables, herbs and flowers, and are responsible for the overall maintenance of the almost 13,000 square feet of our green, open spaces. Our properties, thanks to the volunteer gardeners in The Park Association, beautify the neighborhood, capture rainwater otherwise destined for the City’s waste treatment plants, improve air quality, absorb solar heat and provide an essential respite from urban congestion and stress.