Colonial Beach Volunteers Plant Trees along Colonial Avenue
Some 20 volunteers contributed their time and got their hands dirty planting trees and shrubs to enhance the appearance of the town’s entry corridor on Colonial Avenue last Saturday, Oct. 23rd.
Special thanks go to Master Gardeners Carol Werle and Jim Hazzard who instructed and supervised the planting. Bob and Kelly Vaughn picked up truckloads of mulch and soil amendments for the planting. De Donohoe and husband Bill Randall loaded up top soil contributed from the Dodson Property Management construction site. Walter LeRoy of Colonial Beach Greenspace submitted a grant to the Colonial Beach Community Foundation for funds to support professional excavation of the holes on Colonial Avenue. Mayor Robin Schick and Town Manager India Adams-Jacobs were on hand to thank the volunteers. Grant writer J.C. Lariviere has been administering the town's side of the project.
No town funds are being expended. Funding support came from the U.S. Forestry Service, the VA Department of Forestry and donations to the Downtown Colonial Beach 2020 Virtual Osprey Festival.
The trees and shrubs were planted on private property because a University of Virginia Green Infrastructure Institute could find no room to plant on Colonial Avenue nor any affordable means of doing so other than by working with property owners.
Six civic minded businesses stepped up to the plate and agreed to participate: owners of The Buzz Expresso Bar property, Susan and John Lozinyak; Lenny’s Restaurant; the owner of the Blind Shop property Joyce Gunderson, Patrick Ward CPA, the Beach Service Center and Carter’s Automotive. Thomas Dawes, a homeowner, and Exit Realty. The Town Government of Colonial Beach also permitted planting on their property at 700 Colonia Ave.
Downtown Colonial Beach is hopeful that others who later decide to plant on Colonial Avenue will consider carrying on the color scheme of these first plantings. Three Eastern Redbuds were planted which will have pink blooms in the spring and yellow leaves in the fall. The three Wildfire Blackgums will have reddish leaves in the spring and bright red leaves in the autumn (this species does not have gum balls). Two Autumn Brilliance Serviceberries will have white blossoms in the spring and bright orange colors in the fall. Nine St. John's Wort shrubs will have yellow blooms in the summer, and three Ruby Spice Summersweets will have reddish blossoms. One summer blooming white knock-out rose and one autumn blooming camellia with white flowers were also planted. Altogether they will brighten Colonial Avenue with three seasons of color. All trees are native species or cultivars of native species.
14 Red Oaks and River Birches were planted along the boardwalk and riverfront by the Town of Colonial Beach Public Works Department to provide shade and continue beautification in that area.
The mission of Downtown Colonial Beach (DCB), the community’s Main Street America affiliate program which mobilized the effort with the town government, is beautification and preservation-based development of our historic rivertown’s commercial core. Earlier this year, DCB had succeeded in earning National Historic District designation for the downtown, are kicking off a retail recruitment campaign now and have already started planning next year's live Osprey Festival.
Picture Caption: Volunteers from left to right, back row: Bill Randall, Wayne Shepherd, Bob Vaughn, Susan Lozinyak, Jeff Crook, Edward Hart Kelly Vaughn, Tom Larsen, Mary Larsen. Front row: De Donohoe, Joyce Reimherr, Yvette Roiz, Carole Werle. Not pictured: Jim Hazzard, Mary Wenz, Matt Smith, Walter LeRoy.
To contribute your talents to help bring out the best in our downtown and commercial core, email info@downtowncolonialbeach.org. Tax deductible donations are always welcome and can be mailed to DCB, 315 Douglas Avenue, Colonial Beach, VA 22443.
“In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.” “This project was executed with the support of the U.S. Forestry Service and the Virginia Department of Forestry.”