Do you love Overton Park?
Do you spend a lot of time here?
Want to help make the park a better place?

Then join our team!

Team Overton Park (TOP) is a program for park enthusiasts to be the “eyes and ears” of the Overton Park Conservancy while they are enjoying the park.  People who already frequent the park can easily incorporate TOP into their regular visits, by observing activity in the park while exercising, walking dogs, or simply enjoying the weather.  TOP volunteers will communicate regularly with Overton Park Conservancy about their observations.

What do TOP volunteers do?

The Conservancy is encouraging community involvement in an effort to stay on top of park maintenance issues, encourage positive use of the park and its amenities, and engage park users in the life of the park.  The program’s goals include creating awareness of activities in Overton Park, encouraging visitors to use the park responsibly, developing a sense of ownership in the park, and creating an opportunity for various organizations to come together for the good of the park.

A few typical activities performed by TOP members would include reporting downed trees blocking trails and other maintenance issues, noting when waste bins are full or pet waste-bag containers need to be refilled, picking up litter, and answering park users’ questions.

The TOP program’s success will depend on recruiting and organizing as many active neighbors and park users as possible, discussing community concerns, and developing an action plan that makes the program easy to be incorporated into everyday life.

What’s your zone?
The program will rely on volunteers who monitor various “zones” within the Overton Park Conservancy’s managed areas.  The zones are:

• Zone 1 – Rainbow Lake/ Greensward area/Overton Bark
• Zone 2 – Formal Gardens/ Veterans Plaza
• Zone 3 – Kenilworth Strip/ Crump Statue (from Poplar Ave. to Overton Park Ave.)
• Zone 4 – Old Forest NE
• Zone 5 – Old Forest Central
• Zone 6 – East Parkway Picnic Area
• Zone 7 – Roads

If there’s a particular area of the park you visit often, we’ll make every effort to assign you to that zone.  We’ll provide you with a map that shows the boundaries of each zone.

Check in with us
Team Overton Park volunteers should plan to check in with the Conservancy at least two times per month.  Click here to report your observations!

Joining the program
To be in the TOP program, one must be 18 years or older, complete and submit an application and hold harmless agreement, and agree to a background check.

Orientation meetings will be held periodically to discuss the following:

• Identifying concerns of park users
• How to increase awareness and observation skills in the park
• Effective communication
  - When to call OPC, MPD non-emergency number, 911
  - What to report
• Special TOPS t-shirts to be worn while in park
• Commitment letter and volunteer waiver completed
• Information for background check provided

The next orientation meeting will occur in spring 2013, and the date will be posted here.  You don’t need to wait for the full orientation to join the program, however: just complete the inquiry form below and we’ll be in touch with more information!