MSPC Cancels Events & Reduces Programming
Mission Street Parks Conservancy has reduced the scope of its work in order to protect our volunteers and meet Governor Brown’s requirements for social distancing. Here is a summary of what we are and are not doing.
Events. MSPC has canceled all public events through June, including our spring plant sale, first Saturday garden tours, donor appreciation garden party, and rose garden open house.
Gardening. Gardening activities are limited to a group of no more than 6 people on Tuesday morning and a social distance of at least 6 feet. Volunteers may obtain permission to garden individually as well. Despite these limitations, MSPC will be able to make progress on our annual garden maintenance program as well as a few special projects, such as a new flower bed near the green house.
Cataloguing & Interpretation. Volunteers continue to work in the field and remotely on identifying, surveying, and labeling the park’s woody plant collection and landscape beds.
Research & Planning. MSPC continues to research and describe the park’s landscape and history in anticipation of the City’s upcoming Cultural Landscape Plan for Bush’s Pasture Park, as well as developing designs for several unused or neglected areas of the park.
An Emergency Appeal for Support
COVID-19 restrictions have forced us to cancel many of our events and fundraising activities, including our Spring plant sale. The loss of our plant sale revenue leaves an $8,000 hole in our already modest budget. As a result, MSPC has been forced to scale back our work and lay off our only employee. Despite our best efforts to reduce costs, there are some basic expenses that we continue to incur. Please consider helping MSPC through this challenging time by making a gift today.
The Park is Open
Bush’s Pasture Park remains open sunrise to sunset 7 days a week. Salem residents are welcome to use the park for individual recreation such as walking, jogging, bird watching, etc. Groups are prohibited and individual park-goers must maintain a social distance of 6 feet or more. Playgrounds are closed.