LUSJ reported on 3rd Ward Alderman McKenzie's idea to establish an adopt-a-park system similar to the one used by the county to help keep street right-of-ways clean.
Third Ward Alderman Flora McKenzie is spearheading the launch of an “adopt a park/street” program throughout the city.This will be a nice start to formalizing volunteer efforts in Lockport's parks but it can and should go much farther. Though it may have to wait until the next AFSCME barganing session.
It’ll be similar to the Adopt-A-Highway program in which volunteer groups “adopt” stretches of road and keep the rights-of-way next to them cleared of litter.
McKenzie is hoping businesses and volunteer associations will step up for city parks as well as streets. Invitations to adopt one will be going out on city letterhead soon, she said Friday.
Volunteers would be restricted to picking up litter only, he added, to avoid potential conflicts with AFSCME, the union representing city streets and parks employees.Childrens' Park at Lincoln and S. Transit shows what can be done when volunteers are given more freedom to work. Longer term, the model should be open to other people/groups looking to do the same with other city parks.
“There would not be any painting, mowing or tree trimming. I don’t need that,” Hoffman said.
(Image F&M Building, Main St. Lockport NY)Heather Peck responded to my e-mail. She supplied the following text in a word document:
Lockport Main Street, Inc.
Lockport Main Street, Inc. is a newly formed non-profit organization dedicated to promoting downtown Lockport, attracting new businesses to Lockport, and providing support to existing businesses in Lockport. Lockport has been included along with Albion and Lyons as one of three communities in western New York to be designated an official “Main Street Community” by the eastern Erie Canal Main Street Program, an organization affiliated with the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The program will use a four-point approach which focuses on: Design, Promotion, Economic Restructuring and Organization. This approach, developed by the National Trust’s Main Street Center (NTMSC), “advocates a return to a sense of community, local empowerment, and the rebuilding of traditional commercial districts based on their unique assets: distinctive architecture, a pedestrian friendly environment, personal service and local ownership.” The NTMSC will provide technical assistance and training to communities designated as Main Street communities by the Western Erie Canal Main Street Program.
Newly appointed Lockport Main Street, Inc. Program Manager Heather Peck and a board of 11 community and business leaders have high hopes for the program, which has had great success in revitalizing downtowns in communities around the country. Visit http://www.mainstreet.org/
to view national success stories and for more information.Lockport Main Street, Inc. is currently looking for volunteers to join our four volunteer teams which are based on the National Trust’s Main Street Center’s four-point approach. They are:
Design Team – Focuses on: design education and technical assistance, financial assistance and incentives, and public improvements planning and regulation review.
Organization Team – Focuses on: communications and membership, volunteer and leadership development, and fundraising.
Promotion Team – Focuses on: downtown image enhancement and marketing, retail events assistance, and special events development.
Economic Restructuring Team – Focuses on: data development for downtown business and markets, business retention and recruitment strategies, and property development.
If you are interested in joining one of our teams, please contact Heather Peck by email at: heatherbpeck@yahoo.com. We hope to hear from you!
The city’s new downtown promotional effort is trying to build from humble beginnings.
Heather Peck, the program manager, is working at a spare table in the City Hall accounting office while a search goes on for permanent office space.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which in September inducted Lockport into its Main Street Program, urges all communities to place the program office in the business district, not in City Hall.
“This isn’t really a government program. It’s a community program,” Ruth L. Earl, vice chairwoman of the Lockport Main Street Inc. board, said Friday....
Following the guidelines laid down by the National Trust, the 11-member board is working on finding volunteers for four teams, specializing in organization, design, promotions and economic restructuring.
