Lewes in Bloom
AIB 2010 Evalution
Scores & Recommendations
|
Category |
Points |
Possible points |
|
1. Tidiness effort |
112 |
125 |
|
2. Environmental Effort |
106 |
125 |
|
3. Community Involvement |
112 |
125 |
|
4. Heritage |
116 |
125 |
|
5. Urban Forestry |
101 |
125 |
|
6. Landscaped Areas |
106 |
125 |
|
7. Floral Display |
116 |
125 |
|
8. Turf and Ground Cover |
94 |
125 |
|
Total |
863 |
1000 86.3% |
·
With Lewes on the leading edge of environmental
technology we highly recommend that composting become the next initiative in
your green efforts. Pursue local
composting, perhaps at the wastewater plant, or partner with the State Park and
locate a site on that property.
·
Encourage developments to allow
composting (even in attractive, approved bins) and clothesline laundry drying outside (screened from the front views.)
·
With so many municipal parks and the new
Canalfront Park to maintain it is eminent that a Parks and Recreation supervisor will
need to be employed to manage the greenspace.
Tidiness
·
The
properties both in the town and in the subdivisions on the outskirts of town
were very tidy. The residents obviously have pride and keep their homes and landscapes
looking pristine.
·
Make sure that
the ordinance for the historic district ensures home facades are painted and
kept in good repair.
•
Pursue
discussions with the state on the section of land by the Savannah St. Bridge
and canal about options on planting and maintenance. Decrease the weediness in this area, as all around it you have added
beauty on the city property, which makes this even more an eyesore.
•
Make it a
priority to paint the siding on the Historic Society’s main building.
•
The area along
the fence around the tennis courts
should be weeded and planted with ornamental grasses that would match those in
the adjacent Canal Park.
•
Place a bin
for cigarettes butts at the parking lot behind Mary Vessels Park.
•
We encourage a
no smoking ordinance for beaches, similar to the parks.
Environmental Effort
·
Remove the invasive barberry in the
parking lot near Canal Bridge.
·
Pursue
local composting, perhaps at the wastewater plant, or partner with the State
Park and locate a site on that property.
•
Encourage developments to allow “green”
practices such as composting (even in attractive, approved bins) and
clothesline laundry drying outside (screened from the front views.)
•
Encourage restaurants to recycle their
frying oil.
•
Add signage on rain gardens and swales,
(behind the Irish Eyes), to let viewers know these aren’t just “weed patches”
that explain how they are made, the plants that are used, their function and
environmental value, etc.
•
Investigate purchasing a small windmill
at the wastewater plant for generating electricity.
•
Add some solar panels at City Hall.
•
Add
interpretive signage and make a formal pull off area near the wetland so people
can view the wind turbine.
(Roosevelt Inlet)
•
The
rail trail from Rehoboth needs a direct connection into Lewes.
Community Involvement
·
With so much of the population older and
with grandchildren, establish an
accessible playground for seniors, with or without kids. See
http://www.landscapeonline.com/research/article/8923 and
http://www.accessibleplayground.net
•
Establish a Community Supported
Agriculture garden; involve local children, particularly children at risk.
•
Start a beautification contest for
residents’ landscapes, with “yard of the
week” or month.
•
Make postcards for free distribution at
key tourism spots, taken from photographs
from residents, selected as part of a contest, perhaps this could be
underwritten by donations and sponsors.
•
Establish a skate park in a visible and
secure area.
Heritage
·
Ship Carpenter Park - make a driving map
with brief descriptions of historic properties.
·
Establish
a “cell phone” tour, perhaps through a grant or sponsors, of key sites: the lightship,
canal, and museums.
http://historicsites.wordpress.com/2008/07/03/cells-and-sites-how-historic-sites-are-using-cell-phone-tours/
·
Create another historic garden to match
the herb garden at the Zwaanendael Museum, with flowers,
vegetables and fruits at the museum village.
·
Create a video for sale on local
heritage, use as a fund raiser, stream segments online through YouTube.
Urban Forestry
·
Establish a signed, native tree trail
similar to the one on the University of Delaware campus.
·
On the Second Street flower beds, make
sure that when planting and caring for the flowers under trees that you don’t
disturb tree roots; raise the soil level slightly away from trees if needed to
prevent this.
·
At the Zwaanendael
museum, several trees need some attention, especially pruning.
·
At Mary Vessels Park in the center of
town, it is important to keep (and not cut down as some propose) the large
trees, even though they are “exotic species”; they are vital and mature
fixtures of the downtown landscape.
·
Develop a plan for incorporating future desired species, prioritize
those that will need to be replaced, trees of higher priority if they are a
risk to homeowners or pedestrians in the community and trees needing more attention
because of age or prime location.
Landscaped Areas
·
The city needs a paid Parks and Recreation Director,
part time or preferably full time, as volunteers are being stretched in their
abilities and could use some leadership.
•
The roadside
strip at Otis Smith Park needs landscaping.
•
The back
entrance to City Hall could use more plantings of trees, shrubs and perennials.
•
Consider an
arbor over the patio behind City Hall to provide some shade for the employees.
This could be made into a formal area for functions.
•
On Kings
Highway, work with homeowners to upgrade their landscapes. Have the Master
Gardeners give workshops at the library. Have the homeowners bring photos of
their existing landscapes with details about existing plants, sun and shade
areas, etc.
Floral Displays
•
In the herb garden, create a plant list
as you are considering, perhaps mounted on a nice sign.
•
Create a color-coded sign for the
various sections of the herb garden, explaining the uses of each.
•
Add
some perennials and color around the Little League
sign by the ballpark near the canal.
•
Consider some hayrack planters with flowers
on the fence near the Irish Eyes Restaurant.
•
Ensure some color, especially in the
front at Mary Vessels Park, even if the back part is less colorful native
plants; this is a very key focal point for downtown and needs to be as colorful
as the other plantings and baskets; pots with color might be one option.
•
Even though the purple loosestrife isn’t
invasive in your area, remove it from the Mary Vessels Park as many visitors
may not know this and plant it back home. The sterile form you have and the
roses do not grow well in the shade.
•
Replace the Ficus
and add some other indoor plants in the city hall and mayor’s office with lower
light plants.
•
Consider adding some planters on the
fence behind City Hall for color, and some pots on the patio.
•
Plant flowers or grasses (such as
feather reed grass) along the tennis court fences, once it is weeded and beds
are established there.
Turf and Ground cover
·
Gardeners hold
classes to teach them best cultural practices (BCP’s) by mowing at the proper
height, only as needed and leaving clippings on lawns.
•
The almost
non-existent and extremely worn out lawns around the historical society
buildings should be focused on and better maintained. The lower area near the
road gets too much foot traffic weekly with the Farmer’s Market and other
events and would be better mulched.
•
At Mary Vessels Park, mulch or use groundcovers, or
both, under trees.
•
Add automatic,
in ground irrigation for the lawn in front of City Hall
•
At the
University of Delaware campus, reduce mowing frequency significantly on large
areas only used once a year for an
event.