Two years ago, Linwood Park, at E Athens Ave. and Linwood Ave. in Ardmore, was just a parking lot.

Now, it's a growing community center: a space for kids to play and bike, for adults to relax in the peaceful nature setting, and a space for all ages to enjoy free movie nights, Jack O'Lantern lightings, and monthly hula hoop jams, too.

On Saturday, May 19, Friends of Linwood Park hosted a second birthday party for the park, which included face painting by Six:Eight Community Church, hula hooping with Leah of Loopdihoops, magician The Great Holtzie, and free food from Firinji.

Linwood Park, which is a little over an acre, was bought for $1 million in 2007, using Montgomery County Open Space funds.

But the money for the plantings, benches, and other features of the park primarily came from community members, said Kate Galer, president of Friends of Linwood Park.

Even before work began on the grounds, "People would come out and we’d have little parties like this in a parking lot," said Chris Leswing, assistant director of planning for Lower Merion Township, on Saturday.

Countless donations of time, money and energy have been generously given to make Linwood what it is today, Galer said. Even this weekend, volunteers were out weeding and mowing the park in preperation for Saturday's celebration.

Currently, the Friends of Linwood Park are working to raise money to build a tree platform at the park. A "Pints For The Park" fundraiser will be held at Brownies on June 9, featuring an open bar, wings, pizza, pulled pork sandwiches, desserts made by the winner of the Pillsbury Bake-off, and more. Tickets are $30.

For a look at some of Saturday's birthday festivities, view the photo gallery above.