Avenue P Improvement Project

While I am not part of a group yet, I hope that this project will result in the formation of a group.

Three years ago, the City planted additional trees on the Ave. P, Brooklyn block segment between Ocean Parkway and McDonald Avenue (a business district) to bring the total number of tree pits to about twenty in that segment. No one was taking care of the tree pits and they were growing weeds and accumulating trash. This is in addition to the trash and cigarette butts already tossed onto the street by pedestrians, motorists and businesses.

I contacted Million Trees NYC and representatives came with gardening tools and showed me how to clean and maintain tree pits. I went on to weed and remove trash from all twenty tree pits. I also bought mulch and marigolds for about three pits with my own money to demonstrate the potential of the project to the community. I hope to go on to provide mulch, flowers and inexpensive tree guards for all twenty pits. I have also purchased a narrow-neck cigarette receptacle. My intention is to offer it to any business that has smokers associated with it  and is willing to use and maintain it. My hope is that this will become a block association that will act as a model for other area blocks (such as Kings Highway) and will foster pride in the community. As about ten stores are out of business on this small stretch, I hope that a more attractive environment will also encourage people to occupy these vacant stores, thus decreasing the atmosphere of chaos associated with store vacancy.

1) weed and remove trash from all tree pits (done)

2) deposit mulch and plant flowers in all tree pits

3) provide tree guards for all tree pits

4) trim weeds growing through sidewalk cracks

5) offer cigarette butt receptacles free to any store that agrees to use and maintain them

Both. While trees should make a block more pleasant, the opposite was happening as neglected tree pits accumulated forests of weeds and mounds of trash. Furthermore, there has been an atmosphere of neglect on the block, as evidenced by the frequency of littering. I think a little work can go a long way, in this instance.