Your Beautification Committee has been BUSY!! Here are some things that are going on and ways YOU can help:
1. Please use the Fix It Cincy! App / Help us Clean up the neighborhood
Take a look at the Fix It Cincy! App on your smart phone. (You will need to download this free app from the app store.) This is a way that you can request services (even submitting a photo) from the City of Cincinnati concerning icy/slippery streets, graffiti removal, litter, potholes, missed garbage collection, sidewalks, trees, grass and weeds, and much more! As your beautification chair, I could use your help to report issues that detract from the beauty of our neighborhood. You may have noticed; please tell me you did! that sidewalks on Clinton Springs are getting cleaned up!
- I have been able to get a hazardous tree limb removed that was crossing the sidewalk at 205 Clinton Springs,
- Had a dead tree removed from the front yard of 100 Clinton Springs
- Got the grass cut at 3901 Dickson at the corner of Clinton Springs.
- There are more work orders in the queue.
Reporting these issues allows the city to take care of our neighborhood and certainly makes it more beautiful for all of us! You can also call 513.591.6000 or visit www.5916000.com
2. “New” Red twig dogwoods have been planted in our community gardens/ Releaf program news
When the Parks emptied our flower pots this summer, we were able to repurpose the red twig dogwoods that were being pulled out into our community gardens. We hope to continue to work with the Parks to do this in the future. We also were able to get 5 serviceberry trees from the City’s fall releaf program last year to plant in the Washington Triangle Garden. When you drive by this garden, you will notice them as they have the green watering bags around them.
Check out the Cincinnati parks foundation link to learn more about requesting a free tree for your yard. Applications open on September 3, 2022. https://cincinnatiparksfoundation.org/programs/releaf/
3. What is happening at the Victory Parkway / Dana intersection?
XU experienced some utility delays, but much should be happening now….I know you are like me and we can’t wait to see how this intersection is made even more beautiful by Xavier University.
4. Reading Road streetscape / upcoming volunteer opportunities / grant writer?
A small group has begun work to devise a plan to improve the beauty of the Reading Road Streetscape through North Avondale. We are investigating opportunities to plant more trees and are planning on redistributing the flower pots along the Reading Road corridor. In addition, the Safety committee is looking into some traffic “calming” options with the City. Finally, if you are someone who enjoys applying for grants, please let me know. The City of Cincinnati is offering money for beautification; we just need to apply for it! Many hands make light work!
- We also would be interested in having someone or some organization to adopt our Reading Road corridor, picking up litter, liaising with Keep Cincinnati Beautiful. to learn more or sign up Click Here
- Further, I am looking to create a team of weeders or people with weedwhackers to keep the Reading Road corridor looking tidy. Please reach out if you can offer help with these initiatives.
- I want to give a shout out to our community gardeners and the property owners at The Belvedere, Dottie Shaffer (and staff) at Full Spectrum Health Care, and other property owners, such as Weston Wolf and Haley Boling, on Reading Road who TIRELESSLY pick up trash thrown from vehicles. It is a daily task and we are so grateful that they do this for the benefit of all! Please adopt this street.
- In the short term, this fall, you should notice some immediate improvements on Reading Road, stemming from the work of this group. The week of October 3 our flower pots will be moved to be distributed more evenly along the Reading Road Corridor. They will also be replanted with our fall designs. Thanks to Ann Uhlman with the Parks for her help in making this happen! Your NANA dollars allow for the planting (3x/year) and watering of 20 flower pots along Reading Road.
- Marion Triangle will be getting a new shade tree planted this fall. Thanks to Dave Boutelle with the Parks!
- Dave is also planning to improve the beauty and safety of Seasongood Park by limbing up trees to improve visibility and removing dead limbs from the trees. Please use this park. The playground is terrific. In addition to maintaining the beautiful flower beds at the edge of the Park along Clinton Springs and Reading, your neighbors also maintain the boxwood circle garden in the park. In fact, we are looking for help in maintaining that circle. Please let me know if you can help.
- Our fire hydrants are getting a fresh coat of paint! Our city is so helpful! While hydrants are typically only repainted every 3-6 years, I was able to get the following done this fall, because the city likes to work with neighborhoods who CARE! This is a project, less than a year old, from our Water Works. Check out the new paint jobs this fall at 3842, 3770, 3756, 3700, MLK Park on Reading Road and 999, 951 Dana, 890 Clinton Springs, and 760 N. Fred Shuttlesworth. I attempted to drive every street in our neighborhood to request this.
- Next steps will be contacting property owners along Reading Road, where street trees are not feasible, to encourage and support them in planting trees in their front. If you own property on Reading Road and would like to learn more, please reach out to me.
5. Our committed community gardeners – spotlight on Washington Triangle Garden
Please join me in thanking Megan Rothe (Clinton Springs Ave.) and Terri Byczkowski (Mt. Lookout – yes! Really!!) for their unbelievable commitment to cleaning out and rediscovering the base of the Washington Triangle Garden. This season they have been weeding and weeding some more, picking up trash and trying to identify the varieties of the existing plant material in the garden. They have worked with neighbor Cecil Thomas to keep the garden watered and to cut back the overgrowth obstructing the sidewalk behind the garden. Mr. Thomas is working this fall to eliminate the honeysuckle that is taking over the sidewalk and overhanging the garden. We are grateful for his support! Megan and Terri generally garden on Tuesday evenings. Please stop by to help if you have a bit of free time. We are looking to partner with Shiloh Seventh-Day Adventist Church for additional help in clearing out the overgrowth around the garden and in mulching.
However, we are desperately in need of some one time help in this garden to weed and mulch this fall. PLEASE consider donating your time to support and supplement the work that Megan and Terri have done all season.
WASHINGTON TRIANGLE GARDEN WORKDAY
Volunteers urgently needed to help clean up
Sundays in the Fall 9AM – noon
September 25 • October 9 • October 16
We will be weeding and mulching to clean up this garden
Washington Avenue at Clinton Springs
Let us know you are coming so we will have tools on hand
If you have old newspapers please bring them along
Questions/RSVP Terri Byczkowski terribycz@yahoo.com
The entire neighborhood will thank and love you! Or at least, this Beautification Chair will!
6. Irrigation at Seasongood Square Park and Garden
The irrigation system at Seasongood Square Park and Garden was upgraded this Summer. Costs ($1700) were covered by both NANA and NABA. We are fortunate that Seasongood and the Marion Triangle on Reading and Clinton Springs have irrigation! While these parks are owned by the Cincinnati Park Board, we partner with them to keep them looking great for the neighborhood.
7. Beautification gets new volunteers
We are pleased to welcome Tom Buten, Goss Road, helping out with Litter and Rob Lewis, Ledgewood, helping out in our community gardens. Thank you to all of our volunteers and especially to these two new ones! Now that the weather is hopefully cooler you may want to volunteer too. Please let us know!
8. Please continue to water your trees! It has been such a hot summer!
9.Click Here to learn how to protect your trees NOW from deer damage.
Jolene Struebbe. Beautification Chair & Judy Evans, Community Gardens Chair