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On December 7th, 2024, the East McKinney Learning Garden celebrated its long-anticipated Ribbon-Cutting ceremony, marking a milestone in its steady development and unveiling a stunning public art piece created by talented students from McKinney High School. This event symbolized the garden’s vibrant future as a space dedicated to education, sustainability, and community connection.

The East McKinney Learning Garden was established to address local food insecurity by empowering residents through hands-on education in sustainable gardening. It provides a welcoming space for individuals of all abilities to grow their own food, engage with environmental stewardship, and support local organizations by donating fresh produce. Beyond its practical benefits, the garden serves as a hub for educational programs, cultivating a deeper appreciation for nature while fostering sustainability in East McKinney.

Support from Community Leaders and Organizations The ceremony was graced by Mayor George Fuller, Council Members, and representatives from the McKinney Community Development Corporation and McKinney Economic Development Corporation, underscoring the city’s commitment to the project. Sponsors, including Sprouts Farmers Market SRS Distribution, and Heritage Landscaping and Irrigation, played a significant role in the garden’s realization, with Sprouts sponsoring the Sprouts Teaching Pavilion, a cornerstone for future educational activities. Recipients of the garden’s future harvest, including Hugs Cafe, La Tiendita, and Community Garden Kitchen, shared their heartfelt appreciation for this initiative.

Highlights of the Ceremony

Art Unveiling by McKinney High School Students: The students, Madeleine Brubaker, Natalie Merrel, and Rebecca Park, revealed a breathtaking nature-inspired art installation centered around an engraved storm sewer cover. This piece serves as both a celebration of creativity and a reminder of our responsibility as stewards of the environment.

Mayor’s Recognition: Mayor Fuller commended the efforts of Bruce Mead, a McKinney Parks Foundation board member and project coordinator, for his dedication and vision in bringing the garden to life.

Support from Educational Groups: A diverse array of educational organizations attended to show their support, including Keep McKinney Beautiful, Better Living for Texans, Texas Master Naturalists, Collin County Master Gardeners, the Collin County Bee Association, and the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center. These groups share a mission to educate underserved populations and emphasize the importance of environmental awareness and stewardship.

Farmhouse Ale to support the Garden: TUPPS Brewery released a Farmhouse Ale with Lemon, Basil, and Fresh Black Pepper to benefit the Learning Garden. The draft is only available at the brewery.

The Garden’s Vision and Impact

The East McKinney Learning Garden aspires to be much more than a place to grow food. It is a beacon of hope and empowerment for the community. By offering fresh, locally grown produce, the garden addresses food insecurity and encourages healthier lifestyles. It provides opportunities for hands-on learning, teaching residents of all ages and abilities skills in sustainable gardening, environmental stewardship, and self-sufficiency. This dynamic space fosters collaboration, education, and inspiration, strengthening bonds within the community and creating a shared sense of purpose. Through its programs and partnerships, the garden aims to leave a lasting legacy of sustainability, resilience, and inclusivity in East McKinney.

A Heartfelt Thank You, the McKinney Parks Foundation extends its deepest gratitude to everyone who attended the Ribbon-Cutting ceremony. Your support empowers us to continue building on this project and developing similar opportunities to serve our community.

Join Us in Supporting the Garden. If you’d like to support the East McKinney Learning Garden and our mission, click here to learn more or donate. Your contribution helps us continue to grow this vital initiative and bring meaningful change to our community.

JOIN US FOR THE KICK-OFF CELEBRATION

Thursday, January 19th, 2023, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Hosted by The Stix Icehouse, 301 Eldorado Parkway, McKinney, TX

The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that will utilize donations to enhance the beauty and unique by nature qualities of McKinney. We are seeking funds for tools, equipment, plants/trees, landscape supplies, educational materials, matching grants and administrative costs.

Donation levels include:

Friends of the McKinney Parks Foundation, $100.00 +

Supporters of the McKinney Parks Foundation, $500 +

Sponsors of the McKinney Parks Foundation, $1,000 +

Donations-in-kind will also be accepted. These can be tools or materials, refreshments for Trail Crews, administrative help, or other professional services.

Any monetary donation will be appreciated and put to good use.

Consider donating items from our Amazon Wishlist.

Check out our events tab to see where you can get involved.

McKinney is truly a “unique by nature” city and the McKinney Parks Foundation (MPF) was formed to partner with the city to enhance the beautification and maintenance of the parks and open spaces, promote community involvement and provide education about the wonderful natural spaces in our city. A group of local McKinney residents have come together out of love for our city, and the natural world in which we live and play. We have formed an officially registered non-profit organization with the State of Texas (with an IRS 501(c)(3) status pending) to function in partnership with the McKinney Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces (PROS) department to engage citizens, and feel ownership of our natural spaces.

September 22nd, 2022 is North Texas Giving Day. Please donate!

McKinney is truly a “unique by nature” city and the McKinney Parks Foundation (MPF) was formed to partner with the city to enhance the beautification and maintenance of the parks and open spaces, promote community involvement and provide education about the wonderful natural spaces in our city.

Support us by clicking here to donate.

The MPF has three main functions:
Organizing volunteers to help with projects in conjunction with the McKinney PROS Department;
Encourage engagement by residents in park activities and programs;
Provide a structure for organizing educational opportunities about the natural environment.
The MPF will develop teams of volunteers to work on projects in the parks such as maintenance of hike and bike trails, building nature trails, upkeep of parks and open spaces, and adding amenities. We will partner with other local organizations (e.g. Master Naturalists, Crepe Myrtle Trail, DORBA) to provide education to school children and other McKinney residents and visitors that are interested in learning about nature and the ecology of North Texas. We will engage in direct fundraising and grant sourcing to support these projects and to partner with the City in park and open space development.
We have a Board of Directors comprised of McKinney residents who have served on the Parks Advisory Board, a Master Naturalist, a licensed professional engineer, and others who have a keen interest in community involvement and enhancing the quality of life in McKinney.

Our Needs
– Volunteers for monthly events.
– Tools and supplies to perform the trail maintenance for two of our Adopt-A-Spot locations.
– Bug spray, bottled water, work gloves to hand out to volunteers at events.
– Low trailer to transport equipment

****SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR A SPECIAL EVENT NOVEMBER 6th**** contact us for more information. Sponsors who would like to set up a tent at our November volunteer event and provide bottled water, coffee, packaged snacks are appreciated. We will he holding a special event with over 100 volunteers.

Mission
McKinney is truly a “unique by nature” city and the McKinney Parks Foundation (MPF) was formed to partner with the city to enhance the beautification and maintenance of the parks and open spaces, promote community involvement and provide education about the wonderful natural spaces in our city.

The McKinney Parks Foundation has been proud to support the volunteer efforts to build the new skills course at Erwin Park. Volunteers from the McKinney Parks Foundation participated in the final preparations in April prior to the grand opening.

Rich Szecsy serves the the current President of the MPF and is also the Trail Steward at Erwin Park. Rich’s tireless efforts have helped make this park attraction possible. He brought together multiple volunteer groups and clubs (DORBA, City of McKinney, McKinney Parks Foundation, scout groups, Team Dirt and Vert, North Texas Cycling, Texas Shreds, and many others) for the construction of the course.

Thursday, January 13th form 6-8 PM

The McKinney Parks Foundation had a successful 2022 kickoff event. We welcomed visitors learn more about our 2022 initiatives and convey our excitement about the newest trail we will be working on in 2022 which will be accessible from Gray Branch Road.

We want to extend a special “Thank You” to the Parks Department employees, the Mead Family for lending their event space, and our friends with other clubs and non-profits who have supported our events and are excellent partners (Collin County Master Gardeners, DORBA, and more).

Subscribe to our e-mail list to be notified of upcoming events are they are published. We look forward to an exciting 2022!

The McKinney Parks Foundation held the July volunteer day at the Wilson Creek Trail adjacent to the Recreation Center at Towne Lake. Volunteers removed several fallen trees on the work day July 17th and again during the week. Check out the video below to see some of our work in action! Join the MPF for our monthly volunteer days. If you enjoy working with tools outside, we are the place for you!

Other work performed included litter collection, trimming of overgrowth, and the clearing of brush around the picnic areas. Volunteers who need to earn service hours for their school or club can have their paperwork signed by a board member at the end of each event. The Wilson Creek Trail is one of two Adopt-a-Spot sites where the MPF performs maintenance and enhancement for public enjoyment.

May 15, 2021: The prairie located on the north end of Erwin Park sustained damage last year when cars drove over the prairie and parked in unauthorized areas. Volunteers installed erosion control mats during our Saturday event. The area has been marked off with caution tape. Grass seed was also applied across the area. The restoration of the prairie was an important step in preservation and maintenance of the park.

The trail work day event on May 15th was a larger joint effort with multiple volunteers and organizations. Volunteers on site included: Dallas Off-road Bike Association (DOBRA), friends of Erwin Park, the McKinney Parks Foundation, McKinney Running Club members, and snacks were provided by Sun & Ski Sports. A lot of progress was made on the mountain bike skills course.