Staff Reports
Niagara Gazette
NIAGARA FALLS —
Rick Crogan, the new director of the Main Street Business and Professionals Association, has begun outlining a plan to bring Main Street back to its former glory.
His newly appointed beautification committee will lead the way in a series of beautification endeavors on and around Main Street that will culminate with a garden walk and festival on July 16.
The event, dubbed the Historic Niagara Falls Garden Walk, will be free to the public and is being planned as a family friendly event.
Beautification Committee members include Michelle Vanstrom of Wild Ones Niagara, Michelle Petrazzoulo, director of the Niagara Falls Public Library, Michael Murphy, Allison Pasquantino, Scott Akdogan and Artie Vanderpool.
The Historic Niagara Falls Garden Walk will be centered around the Main Street core and the neighborhoods from Fourth Street and Park Place to Orchard Parkway and Pierce Avenue, ending with a tour of the planned native garden at the Niagara Falls Library. Gardens from formal to cottage will be included on the free self-guided walking tour, and local Main Street businesses and restaurants will be open for lunch or afternoon shopping.
Florists, nurseries, artists and garden-centered vendors will be centralized during the walk to help supply neighbors and visitors with plants and garden art, and volunteers will be available to help those less familiar with the city navigate the map of the tour. Also, master gardeners will be on hand to help with general garden questions.
In the spring, committee members will hit the streets, scouting gardens in neighborhoods along Main Street from the post office to the library. Volunteers and sponsors are needed for the event and are welcomed to join. Sponsorship will include tickets to a private candlelight tour and champagne reception on July 15 and several levels of sponsorship are available.
For more information or to contact the committee about sponsorship, volunteering or including your own garden you may email: historicniagarafallsgardenwalk@gmail.com or call the Main Street Business and Professionals Association office at 285-1318.
