Columbus Ave. BID hires Goddard for beautification prgm.

In a continuation of the beautification program initiated last spring, the Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) has hired Goddard Riverside Community Center's Top Opportunities Program to assist merchants in maintaining tree beds along the avenue, which will be planted with flowers on May 29, announces Barbara Adler, executive director of the Columbus Avenue BID.

Goddard Riverside Community Center's Top Opportunities Program (TOPOP) is a vocational rehabilitation and training program for adults.

In addition to the twice-weekly watering program provided by Goddard Riverside, watering cans have been distributed by The BID to all merchants with tree beds directly outside their shops. Each tree bed will be planted with colorful flowers, such as Petunia Integrifolia, Ipomea Margarita and Dusty Miller, all of which are robust plants that have the ability to withstand semidrought conditions.

"Besides the scheduled maintenances, we are encouraging merchants water and care for the tree beds as if they were their own personal gardens," says Adler. "These hearty plants have been selected because they can withstand city life and the rigors of an urban environment, as well as being relatively easy for the Columbus Avenue merchants to care for."

This is the second consecutive year that the planting program has been implemented. This past winter, iron-hoop tree guards, in keeping with the landmark district the Columbus Avenue BID sits in, were placed around the tree beds.