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Cleanup program begins along Kitty Dill Memorial Parkway |
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Wednesday, 03 December 2008 |
Special to the
Daily Times Leader
Louise Campbell, director of the West Point Community Foundation, announced Tuesday the West Point Foundation Board of Directors, in cooperation with the city of West Point, will begin a new cleanup and beautification program in the Kitty Dill Memorial Parkway.
The West Point Community Foundation’s mission is to invest in programs that enhance the cultural, aesthetic, and historical components of the community. The foundation is a non-profit public-supported organization through which residents as well as former residents can make charitable contributions which will be used to enhance the quality of life today for future generations.
“Thirty five new metal benches have been purchased to replace the original wooden benches that have fallen into disrepair over the years,” Campbell said. “The names of the honored and memorialized will be identified again, as well as the names of those who donated the benches. The new metal benches will be placed on a poured concrete pad.”
Belk Weems of Weems Landscaping Services will do the landscaping work that will include cleaning and trimming along the parkway. Margaret Bratton, head of Parkway Maintenance, worked with Weems in identifying the problem trees that need to be trimmed or taken out.
“So many of the Bradford pear trees in the parkway have split or become diseased, and some are dying,” Bratton said. “The Bradford pear trees have not turned out to be the trees we had hoped they would be over a long period of time. They are beautiful in the fall and in the spring, but their lifetime is not long. Also, we are removing some trees that have grown to hide the light posts and block the light at night on the parkway, making it very dark in places. This should help solve the problem, as well as allowing the remaining trees to fill out to their natural shape.”
Bratton also noted that in the spring, Belk will be replacing many of the trees with 8-foot dogwoods that should be beautiful, too, as the dogwood tree is a great flowering tree in the spring and turns lovely colors in the fall.
City Administrator Randy Jones said that the city appreciates this help from the foundation.
“The parkway is one of West Point’s greatest assets, and we need to keep it clean and beautiful as we can for everyone, as well as for our out-of-town guests. We have so many comments on how fortunate we are to have this wonderful green space in our town.”
Campbell said, “I think when this project is completed, everyone will be pleased. We ask for the public’s patience as the trees are trimmed and removed. We all love our parkway, and it is enjoyed by all ages all year. The West Point Community Foundation is pleased to be able to help on this project.”
Anyone wishing to donate a bench in honor or in memory of someone may contact Randy Jones at City Hall at 494-2573.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 04 December 2008 )
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