Beach & Property Clean-Up

On Sunday May 4th, we'll be coming together to do some MAJOR clean-up at the beach park. We hope you can join us if you're able-bodied and willing!

~~~

Different from previous years, our focus during this year's Spring Clean-up will be two-fold. The beach and the trees.

Our plan is to remove as many loose, broken, or dangerous branches as we can, as high up as we can, and clean up what is on the ground. We'll need people to bring their trailers, extension ladders, pole-saws, wheel barrows, work gloves, chainsaws, etc.

The majority of the large trees are Ash, and are already infected by EAB. So they will need to eventually come down completely. However if we can make the park safe, we can do some of the work in phases, to manage costs, and keep some shade in the park this summer. We will not be bringing down any full trees ourselves during the clean-up.

Note: We have started to gather quotes for bringing the Ash trees down and taking away the wood, and the costs are in the multi-thousands, as many homeowners have discovered post-ice-storm. We're open to additional ideas and quotes if you are connected to professionals in this space.

We'll also need to determine a planting plan for new trees, and don't want to wait to plant new where it makes sense. There are significant costs associated with all of this, so the BPRA executive will be building plan and budget and setting fundraising goals for the coming years with input from members. If you are a professional or connected to the 'tree planting' industry, please reach out or reply to this email.

When it comes to beach, we typically till the sand, weed the sides, trim, rake, etc. making the beach a paradise, and then try to keep the geese away all summer. We were fortunate in 2024 to have some members with equipment suited for this, so please volunteer your machines for a brief time to get this all in order (either for beach or trees or both).

The Clean up will start at 9am this year and go until mid-afternoon. Come for when you're available, but this year we are recommending that the kids stay out of the park for this work. Just to be safe with all the additional machines, tools, falling branches, etc. We hope you can make arrangements that will still allow some volunteer time. We'll get some pizzas for lunch, and we'll save our Star Wars theme for another time.

If you're wondering if we need you? YES

We will have a generator with lots of gas and many extension cords if you have a great electric tool you want to use to help. Bring it!

If you're wondering if you should bring that awesome tool or machine you have down to the park? YES Trucks and trailers too!

If your brother-in-law is in town and wants to help? YES

If you are a professional and want to offer advice or quotes? Please contact Andrew - president@bayoupark.org

See you Sunday May 4th starting at 9am

~~~~

BPRA Volunteer Executive Team