Mower Gang

[jonesy]

I spent this past Saturday with the Mower Gang cleaning and mowing Riverside Park. It was a great experience to work together with so many other volunteers who care about our parks. I encourage members of this site to support this movement.

http://www.mowergang.com/index.html

"Welcome to MowerGang.com. The home of Detroit’s very own gang of do-gooders and helper-outers. Home of the greatest gang of idiots to ever run a lawn tractor.

The Mower Gang is open to you. All you have to do is find out when we are going to be mowing and show up. Bring a mower, trimmer, or lawn tractor and you will instantly become a member of the Mower Gang. If you don’t have any of those things, bring yourself. Many members have a mower and a trimmer, you can borrow something cool and have fun while helping out.

What We Do: The Mower Gang mows public land in Detroit. These are abandoned parks that the city can no longer afford to keep in good repair. Rather than see them abandoned, the Mower Gang swoops in and keeps the weeds from taking over. We also have fun doing it. Mower Gang events are one-part biker rally and one-part cleanup."

"How to Get Involved: Send an e-mail using the “Join The Gang” link below. Also, check out the blog and find out when and where we will be mowing next and then show up. It is that easy. Bring whatever you’ve got. It could be a mower, a weed wacker, a tractor, a bull dozer or anything. We don’t care, just come on by and have some fun, meet some cool people, and do something good for someone else. "

[gnome]

thank you, RIverside needs all the help it can get.

[LodgeDodger]

I'm in.

. . . . . . . . . .

[Stosh]

I'm in.

. . . . . . . . . .

Sorry, that slogan's already been taken.

[LodgeDodger]

Sorry, that slogan's already been taken.

Smarty pants!

[LodgeDodger]

How's this for mower "cred"?

[Stosh]

How's this for mower "cred"?

You don't get that way from using a riding lawnmower, do you?

[LodgeDodger]

You don't get that way from using a riding lawnmower, do you?

Nope, I get that from using a push mower. Btw, betterhalf thinks it's sexy as hell. He loves the fact I've taken over lawn duties since retiring.

[Stosh]

Nope, I get that from using a push mower. Btw, betterhalf thinks it's sexy as hell. He loves the fact I've taken over lawn duties since retiring.

So you'll be using a push mower on the parks, or are you buying a new riding one for the job?

[LodgeDodger]

So you'll be using a push mower on the parks, or are you buying a new riding one for the job?

Push mower, weed whacker, and I'll pick up garbage. Whatever they need, I'll do.

I think riding mowers are cool, but I need all the exercise I can get.

[Stosh]

Push mower, weed whacker, and I'll pick up garbage. Whatever they need, I'll do.

I think riding mowers are cool, but I need all the exercise I can get.

Yes, you will get exercise, I can guarantee that.

[RickBeall]

I salute you guys! !!!!

[Pingu]

According to the Mower Gang site, the next event is scheduled for November 6th:

Future Event - Saturday November 6th - Maze and Labyrinth: The next mowing event will be mowing a maze or labyrinth into an open field at a Detroit Park. This maze will be similar to a cornfield maze except that we will mow it in the tall grass of an abandoned field. I have tentatively scheduled this event for November 6th. The Maze and Labyrinth will be mowed in the morning and then opened to the public in the afternoon. I am considering creating a Kickstarter.com project to fund the creation of some signs and to pay for the gasoline that the gang will use to create the maze. It should be a fun project.

Try to keep the 6th of November open on your calendars.

[Hermod]

How's this for mower "cred"?

I hate to be Mr. Picky, but if you are using a rotary push mower, you should invest in steel-toed shoes and wear long denims or "dickies" type slacks while you are mowing. It doesn't cost much and is so much safer.

[LodgeDodger]

I don't find your advice at all picky. Thank you for the good advice. *hug*

[downtown_racine]

Hats off to the gang its alot of hard work and can be hard on equipment when you mow into overgrown and sometimes dumped onto lands.
If they stick to the "abandoned" parks hopefully the unions wont put up a stink.

The state here stopped regularly mowing state highway medians here due to "budget cuts" and the county quickly received many complaints about the tall weeds and grass blocking views of traffic and generally looking ugly .
County officials decided to give early release incentives to inmates from the county jail if the said inmates were willing to work hard mowing grass all day and were safe to release for work and the unions started hollering real quick. Sad if you ask me.

[urbanoutdoors]

The park is starting to really shine. I have taken Riverside on as one of my many projects that I work on and I was out there with the Gang and it was alot of fun... We will have 2 more groups out working at the park in the next 2 weeks and I can't wait to see how it will look then! I will have more updates on the park soon, but till then you can check out more at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Detroi...k/333428825018...

Also There is a group of citizens coming together to form the Detroit Parks Coalition... If anyone is interested they can find out more about the Coalition @ http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-De...29084950464369

[BagAJellyDonuts]

http://jalopnik.com/5631873/racing-m...yline=true&s=i