This blog was first posted on UCD’s website on 4/14/2021.
The Woodlands has entered into a new agreement with [UCD’s] subsidiary Green City Works (GCW) for landscaping services at the historic cemetery. Located at 4000 Woodland Avenue in University City, the Woodlands encompasses 54 acres of undulating landscape that has served as an 18th-century English pleasure garden, a 19th-century rural cemetery, and a modern green oasis and escape for neighbors and explorers. The partnership with Green City Works will involve care and maintenance by a crew made up of West Philadelphia residents who are graduates of UCD’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative.
The Woodlands, a designated National Historic Landmark District, serves as an educational resource for local children, community residents, university students, and scholars seeking further understanding of American architectural and botanical history, urban development, and the origin and growth of West Philadelphia. Today, their mission is to enrich the lives of area residents and visitors by serving as a hub for activities and educational programs that interpret, celebrate, and make available to the public The Woodlands’ historic buildings and tranquil green space, while still operating as an active cemetery.
To manage that green space, [we] have hired Green City Works, UCD’s social venture that provides high-quality design-build-maintenance landscaping services at over 50 sites across Philadelphia, including the Ronald McDonald House Courtyard, University of the Sciences, and many more. Celebrating its fifth year of operation, GCW was born from UCD’s workforce development program, the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative. GCW aims not only to provide superior, competitively-priced landscaping services, but also to create local economic opportunities by transforming the way the landscaping industry trains, advances, and supports its workforce.
"The maintenance of our 54-acre grounds is our biggest annual expense," says the Woodland's Executive Director Jessica Baumert. "The importance of keeping those funds in our local economy has been amplified over the last year. Through this partnership with Green City Works, this is now a reality. We're able to take our commitment to our community a step further by helping to employ our neighbors with stable, living-wage jobs. We look forward to introducing The Woodlands to the crew members, their families and friends."
Employees at Green City Works, all of whom are West Philadelphia locals, trained with and graduated from the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative. In their roles, they are offered a 40-hour workweek, payment regardless of weather, as well as PTO, Medical, and Dental. The organization aims not only to dignify the landscaping industry but also to provide opportunities for growth within the industry.
“Adding the Woodlands to our portfolio of public spaces is a win-win for us,” says Brian English, VP of Green City Works. “Many members of our crew already loved to visit, and now they have an excuse to spend even more time there and contribute to the upkeep of this important local public space. We’re very excited by this partnership.”
The Woodlands is open every day from dawn until dusk. [Visitors are asked] to social distance and wear masks while onsite. The Woodlands welcomes picnickers, but groups of more than 10 people must have prior permission to use the site. Visit the Woodlands website for details on visiting, upcoming events, and more.