Lady Bird Johnson, First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969 who advocated beautifying the nation's cities and highways, said "Where flowers bloom, so does hope." She added "Though the word beautification makes the concept sound merely cosmetic, it involves much more: clean water, clean air, clean roadsides, safe waste disposal and preservation of valued old landmarks as well as great parks and wilderness areas. To me...beautification means our total concern for the physical and human quality we pass on to our children and the future." We agree!
Beautify Pullman was launched in 2020 with high hopes and plenty of optimism. Our mission is to enhance the natural beauty of our neighborhoods for everyone to enjoy, regardless of income, for citizens and visitors alike. We have spent most of our time and effort (along with a small army of dedicated volunteers--you know who you are!) landscaping and maintaining spaces that welcome our friends and neighbors.
Last spring and summer the Allegan County Road Commission added infrastructure to our town center in the form of curbs, gutters and improved drainage, all much needed. Unfortunately the price we paid was high, in the loss of century old trees and landscaping.
We, along with all the folks walking and biking along 56th Street and 109th Avenue, are aware of and concerned about access to businesses, school and the post office, especially with only one marked crosswalk. Over 20% of Lee Township residents do not drive or have access to a car. The loss of our beautiful trees and accessibility are important issues for all of us and particularly so for those who do not drive.
With every challenge though, new opportunities arise. After all we are optimists! Beautify Pullman applied for a Rural Readiness Grant from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to create a plan for landscaping and pedestrian and bicycle access in our community and we were awarded the grant.
We are working with Abonmarche, an engineering and planning firm to develop this plan. Abonmarche has worked with communities all over our corner of Michigan and we are thrilled to have them onboard! We are also working closely with Pullman Elementary School on a Safe Routes to School grant, which is a federal program making our streets safer, more convenient and fun for children, including disabled children, to walk or bike to school.
In order for all of these exciting plans to progress we are asking for input from all to include everyone's thoughts and opinions. Please take our survey and stay tuned for more information!