Downtown beautification day to sweep through Main Street
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The focus will be on the so-called “back doors” of Main Street businesses and the parking lots located between Main and Colville streets.
That effort is significant this year because portions of Main Street are expected to be impeded due to anticipated downtown revitalization efforts that will ultimately force people to park in the rear entrances of affected businesses once construction begins.
“We want to have the back doors look inviting for customers to feel comfortable about starting to go into the back areas of businesses,” Main Street McMinnville assistant Carla King said. “So they’ll get used to going through the back area.”
Known as a clean-up day in the past, Main Street officials said this year’s goal is not necessarily to clean up anything, but to beautify what already exists.
Landscaping improvements are planned for the small medians located within the parking lots that are located between East Main and Colville streets. Work is not planned in the large medians located right next to Colville Street, Main Street McMinnville director Chris Wilson said.
Some tree removal is planned where existing magnolia trees may inhibit parking.
“The only magnolia trees that will be taken out will be those that are interfering with parking of cars because the branches are too low and we can’t successfully heighten the canopy without destroying the tree,” Wilson said.
Urban forester Nick Kuhn plans to plant at least 18 new trees, shrubs and ground cover. He plans to teach a class on proper planting procedures for those in attendance.
Wilson said volunteers, of which more are welcome, will get a lesson in basic landscaping plus get a chance to help out downtown businesses.
“All the things that are going to be taught by Nick Kuhn are going to be things that you can bring home and do yourself because we’re going to be doing things that people would normally do,” he added.
Area students were expected to help with weed trimming and clean up today in preparation for tomorrow’s work. Wilson said the parking lot is supposed to be re-striped in the near future. The event, a variation of the annual downtown clean-up day, takes place between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
“We’re wanting to get people excited about the downtown construction and in preparation for it, we also want them to be getting used to parking in the rear of businesses,” Wilson added. “We’re hoping to provide an inviting and beautiful area for them to park their cars.”