The City of Arlington Parks and Recreation Department and The University of Texas at Arlington volunteers spent Saturday, April 8, 2017, at various locations cleaning up our community.

More than 1,000 student volunteers and other partnered with the community to serve others in The American Dream City.

The effort was a result of the "UTA Big Event"program, which is dedicated to service and outreach. In 1982, The Big Event began at Texas A&M University as a way to say thank you to Bryan-College Station. Three decades later, the event has grown to become the largest one-day student-run service project in the United States. The Arlington Parks and Recreation Department was fortunate enough to receive 170-plus volunteers for some much-needed maintenance.

UT Arlington students, faculty, and community members assisted Parks and Recreation staff members at O.S. Gray Park, Southwest Nature Preserve, Allen Saxe Park, Veterans Park, Dixon Holman Park, and Vandergriff Park. Projects included trail rebuilding and tree maintenance, planting, mulching, creek cleaning, privet removal and more.

"We had a great day at O.S. Gray today during the Big Event."Friends of O.S. Gray Naturally Area Kevin Donovan said. "We had over 40 student volunteers come out to help us remove privet, stain benches and work in our wildflower bed. They got a lot done and had a good time to boot."

The City of Arlington Parks and Recreation staff would like to express their gratitude for another successful BIG event. Thank you volunteers and park advocate groups for your hard work…until next year!