THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 12, 1995 TAG: 9511110149
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JANIE BRYANT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
The Community Garden Club is one of many civic-minded organizations that has taken on the maintenance and beautification of medians and entranceways through-out the city.
In some cases, the land those citizens care for is property the city would have to maintain and the city pays the organization for the work they do.
``They mow the grass, keep litter picked up and trim the shrubbery, just like it's in their front yard,'' said Paul Forehand, administrator-coordinator in the city's Parks and Recreation Department.
``We pay them for that service,'' he said. ``The justification behind that is it's a lot cheaper for them to do it than for us to send a crew in to do it.''
Forehand said the areas are usually a ``fairly small plot of ground with a labor-intensive amount of greenery.''
Turning them over to groups not only costs less, but often results in more detailed jobs and more attractive areas because the neighborhoods have a ``vested interest in it,'' he said.
``It's like the front yard of the neighborhood,'' Forehand said. ``So generally they make an effort to make it look as good, if not better, than the best yard in the neighborhood.''
Sometimes the groups do the work themselves and sometimes they subcontract the work.
Forehand said that neighborhoods or organizations interested in such a contract should inquire about it well in advance, because funding must be approved in the city budget.
Beyond the contract system, Forehand said the city has just launched an Adopt-A-Spot program.
``We're identifying areas around the city that could use some extra TLC and promoting them to adjacent businesses and civic leagues to help us out,'' said Forehand.
One of the first to sign up was the Naval Hospital, which is taking care of a stretch of median on Effingham Street, he said.
But even before that project was launched, many citizens were already offering to roll of their sleeves and tackle areas that needed a manicure.
``I never cease to be amazed at the calls from volunteers with requests for projects,'' said Forehand.
Besides medians and entranceways, some clubs regularly help out with the city's cemeteries and others are routed to the shoreline of Portsmouth City Park.
``We worked out one time the dollar amount and it's a remarkable savings to us as a department,'' said Forehand.
Sometimes it's a garden club like the Community Garden Club looking for a beautification project. Other times, it's an Eagle Scout looking for a community service project.
Saunders Roesser, a Churchland teen, is leading a Scout project that will improve the entranceways to three neighborhoods on Cedar Lane. Brick walls at entrances have been repaired and painted, signs refurbished and landscaping improved.
``Eagle Scouts are always looking for projects - we abuse them regularly,'' quipped Forehand.
Organizations or businesses that want to adopt a spot in the city can pay a small amount for a sign that goes up at that area, which credits them with the work.
The volunteers provide plants and flowers if they want to do additional landscaping, but the city horticulturist, Lauren Gehman, does offer groups plants and flowers when she has a surplus in the city greenhouse.
The city also provides technical assistance and sometimes manual help with such projects.
``It helps us a lot of times if we can get in on the front end of a project,'' said Forehand. ``Sometimes people get a little over exuberant and put too much plant material or the wrong kind. Within a year's time, they've got this Bolivian rain forest on the street corner you can't see around.
``We can give them tips on what not to do,'' he said.
If you or your group or business is interested in helping to beautify the city, call Forehand at 393-8481. by CNB