VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: NCC News’ Beyond the Hill: Local Volunteer Creates Lifelong Passion out of COVID-19 Pandemic Hobby
Kaitlin Campbell: Welcome to NCC News’ Beyond the Hill, where we take you past the boundaries of SU’s campus. I’m Kaitlin Campbell.
Luke Welch: And I’m Luke Welch. Syracuse is known for its unpredictable weather, but today we look downtown at how one resident strives to keep the city streets and park green. Let’s go look at how far her work stretches.
Campbell: There are over 150 parks, green spaces and rec areas across the Salt City, all with a unique sense of beauty.
Welch: Today we take a look at Franklin Square Park, where this past weekend, our Lauren Holdmeyer talked to the volunteer in charge of keeping every patch of green perfect. Once a sneaky hobby during Covid, now is her full time passion.
Lauren Holdmeyer: In the heart of downtown Syracuse lies one of the city’s most scenic spaces.
Ryan Haberberger: It’s been a nice quality of life.
Holdmeyer: She’s a familiar face, not only known for her green thumb, but for her warm smile, too.
Haberberger: It felt like we were really in the presence of a legend.
Holdmeyer: Ryan has lived above these gardens for the last four years. But, on his final day here in Syracuse, he came down to thank the woman who was behind it all.
Linda Llewellyn: That first year when we were like going to Home Depot and buying things out of our pocket, we realized that this park is way bigger than, you know, you can’t just go buy like ten bags of mulch and it’s done.
Holdmeyer: Linda has established grants with the city and connected with other neighbors to gain more supplies.
Llewellyn: “Tomorrow’s Neighborhoods Today” serves the full city of Syracuse. There are eight sectors and we applied for a small beautification grant. And now we do that every year. So it helps us pay for truckloads of mulch and flowers and and the supplies that we need to keep this area.
Holdmeyer: Linda hopes that the space will make someone’s experience in Syracuse just a little bit brighter.
Llewellyn: People come from all over to take pictures here. Like, not just in Syracuse. The weddings,the graduations, the family photos. I think, or I’ve heard, we like to say that this is the most photographed park in Syracuse.
Holdmeyer: And throughout those five years, she’s gained friendships with Syracuse neighbors like Eleonora.
Eleonora Fuller: She knows everybody because she talks to everybody.
Holdmeyer: Eleonora used to think she was an overdue city worker.
Fuller: The city didn’t do a heck of a lot on that park.
Holdmeyer: But now, they’re family.
Llewellyn: So it’s become a community. Actually, past this community. Some of my friends and volunteers come from as far away as Rochester, my old neighborhood of Fayetteville. Anyway, so it’s city and it’s community, and it’s twelve months out of the year. Somebody’s out here almost every day pulling weeds or picking up trash.
Holdmeyer: Linda says she has big plans for the fall, with 500 tulips expected to be planted before Thanksgiving. Lauren Holdmeyer with Beyond the Hill.
Campbell: If you’re interested in volunteering to design your own green space, you can find the permit process and vegetation regulations on the city’s website at syr.gov.
Welch: And if you want to help Linda, you can contact Tomorrow’s Neighborhoods Today at the email on your screen. That’s all the time we have for you today on this episode of Beyond the Hill.
Campbell: For the latest news in Central New York, follow us on socials and visit our website at NCC News Online. I’m Kaitlin Campbell.
Welch: And I’m Luke Welch. Find us next week as we continue to go Beyond the Hill.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – With over 150 parks and green spaces throughout the city of Syracuse, there’s a lot of landscaping to upkeep. But instead of employing a large team — Syracuse relies on the community to keep things in check. One local woman in particular, Linda Llewellyn, has found a passion in planting.
Llewellyn, who began pulling weeds throughout Syracuse during her spare time during the COVID-19 pandemic years, is now the face of an operation called Tomorrow’s Neighborhoods Today. The all-volunteer organization allows community members to join her in planting, raking, and overall beautifying outdoor spaces in the area.
“Tomorrow’s Neighborhood Today serves the whole city of Syracuse. There are eight centers. We have one small beautification grant, and I do that every year. So it helps us pay for truckloads of mulch, flowers and supplies,” Llewellyn said.
Llewellyn said over her years volunteering, she’s gotten overwhelming support from the city, including grants that help her provide for the parks. Because of this, she’s been able to expand her efforts far more than they were a few years ago.
“People come from all over to take pictures here. Like, not just in Syracuse. We’re out here with people from other states. The weddings, the graduations, the family photos, I think, or I heard, we like to say that this is the most photographed park in Syracuse,” Llewellyn said.
Neighbors who live in Franklin Square Park are grateful not just for the landscaping that Llewellyn does, but for the friend she’s become. Ryan Haberberger, who lived in Syracuse but just recently moved out of state, spent his last day in Syracuse reflecting on the person Llewellyn is.
“You’d hardly know it, but she’s kind of like a living legend,” Haberberger said.
Even though winter is around the corner, Llewellyn isn’t done in the gardens yet. She plans to plant 500 tulips before Thanksgiving to ensure they’re in full bloom come spring. Llewellyn encourages any community member who is interested in getting involved to contact her at hello@tomorrowsneighborhoodtoday.org.