Restoring Ritter Park's Lily Ponds.
A nearly century-old park feature, a community cleanup effort, and a continuing vision for preserving one of Ritter Park's distinctive historic landscapes.
1927
The Alliance has access to a copy of the original construction plans for the lily ponds.
Part of Ritter Park for generations.
The lily ponds in Ritter Park date to the 1920s. The Southside Alliance has a copy of the original plans for their construction, dated June 21, 1927.
The plans were preserved by Alliance Charter Member Sterling Hall, who graciously loaned them to The Alliance's Parks Committee.
Those plans provide an important historical reference as the community considers what appropriate restoration and long-term stewardship of the ponds could look like.
A peaceful place many Huntington residents still remember.
Longtime Huntington residents remember the lily ponds as beautiful, welcoming spaces within Ritter Park: places to sit with friends, enjoy a picnic, reflect, or simply spend time surrounded by the park's landscape.
Their stonework and plantings added another distinctive element to the park and helped create the quiet, carefully designed character for which Ritter Park has long been known.
Years of growth had nearly hidden the ponds.
Over time, the ponds and their historic stonework deteriorated. Sediment and decaying plant material accumulated, stonework showed signs of deterioration, and invasive vegetation increasingly covered the ponds and surrounding features.
By 2021, vegetation had become so extensive that portions of the lily ponds were difficult to see.
The same types of invasive vines were also affecting trees and stone features elsewhere in the park, making vegetation management an important part of protecting Ritter Park's historic landscape.
Volunteers help uncover the lily ponds again.
Under the supervision of Greater Huntington Park & Recreation District staff, Alliance volunteers and community partners spent two days removing invasive vegetation and accumulated debris from the historic pond areas.
Clear
Volunteers cut and removed invasive vines and vegetation that had overtaken portions of the ponds and surrounding landscape.
Uncover
Removing years of growth helped reveal the ponds and their historic stonework so their condition could be more clearly seen.
Assess
With significant vegetation and debris removed, the ponds could be examined more closely to help determine possible restoration needs and next steps.
Many hands made the work possible.
The cleanup brought together Alliance members, community volunteers, and park staff around a shared interest in Ritter Park and its historic features.
Two days focused on bringing the landscape back into view.
The effort began with the ponds north of the lane running from the Rose Garden past the amphitheater and continued to the larger pond across the lane.
Parks Committee Leadership
Parks Committee Chair Chuck Chambers helped lead and organize The Alliance's participation in the effort.
GHPRD Supervision
The work was carried out under the supervision of Greater Huntington Park & Recreation District staff.
On-Site Support
Parks Director Kathy McKenna was on site during the work effort.
Three Loads Removed
GHPRD maintenance staff member Nick Pennington transported three full dump-truck loads of removed plant material to the district's composting area.
Preservation is a collaborative process.
The 2021 lily pond cleanup was a volunteer effort carried out with the involvement and supervision of the Greater Huntington Park & Recreation District.
The Southside Alliance's role is to advocate for the preservation of important park features, organize and participate in appropriate volunteer efforts, and work constructively with GHPRD and community partners.
Long-term restoration, maintenance, and management of park features involve the public agencies, professionals, community organizations, volunteers, and other partners responsible for Ritter Park.
Sometimes a small corner of a park carries nearly a century of memories.
Preserving Ritter Park means paying attention not only to its largest landmarks, but also to the historic landscapes and features that have helped generations of Huntington residents feel connected to this extraordinary public space.
Help support the preservation of Southside's historic places.
Community involvement helps The Alliance continue advocating for thoughtful preservation, park stewardship, and the historic character of Huntington's Southside.
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