Revitalization Reports

Current Initiatives

Revitalization/Subcommittee Reports
Gardens and Parks

May 9, 2007       February 14, 2007       January 24, 2007

Present:

Nancy Beale (Garden Club)
Gretchen Ferrante (Nature Center of Cape May)
Rachel Palermo (Environmental Commission)
Jo Tolley
Charlotte Todd (Environmental Commission)
Jessie Weeks (Revitalization Committee)
Absent: Curtis Bashaw (Revitalization Committee)
Stina Ferguson (Garden Club)
Hilary Pritchard (Revitalization Committee)

Library Project

Waiting for completion of power washing. Lou has asked Public Works to rent a power washer since the city’s is broken;

Nancy and Stina will work with Lou to select the paint and plan the next step of refurbishing the building in preparation for planting;

Summer Interns;

Still no applicants for these positions.

Updated Progress Report on Parks

Rotary Park

No discussion at this meeting.

Kiwanis Park

Jim Hall has been contacted and has engaged the committee of the Kiwanis Club to address any needs;

Charlotte suggested that perhaps the children’s group that meets in the park might be interested in planting a simple garden at the back of the park near the tennis courts. Suggested plants are wild flowers, pumpkins, and gourds. Elderberry and blueberry bushes would also attractive for picking and eating.

Harborview Park

It was decided to keep the park as natural and easy to maintain as possible. Plants must be wind and salt spray tolerant. Many of the shrubs planted there have died, even viburnum;

We agreed that an irrigation system should not be needed if the appropriate landscaping scheme is adopted;

Rachel and I met with Lou and learned that a plan must be in place in order to utilize the grant money from the county. After some discussion, it seems that the best use of these funds would be to hire a private contractor to do the work needed. The plan must be put out to bid.

Summary of Preliminary Needs

Move the sign for Harborview Park from the park to its entrance from Pittsburgh Avenue;

Place a Green Acres sign in the park;

Remove tables or place them in a shaded area;

Employ a professional landscape service to do a soil analysis of the grass and shrub beds;

Amend the soil for each area as needed. For example, leaf compost might provide nutrients for the shrubs and trees while protecting the trunk and smothering the weeds. Another technique will be needed for the grass;

Plant clover in the grassy areas between the gazebos and the boardwalk area as a test sample to see if clover will thrive on the site and put nitrogen back in the soil. Put temporary signage on the site to protect it and explain the process to the public;

Plant rugosa roses in the beds behind the gazebos;

Prune the dead branches from all of the winter killed trees and bushes and remove the suckers from the trunk areas;

Totally remove all of the many dead bushes and replace them with native species that will survive. Groundsel has flourished next to the boardwalk. It is possible that bayberry some low growing evergreens will survive as well;

Completely remove the mulch and weeds from the paths and replace it with clam shells or hardscape. Handicap access is important for a park;

Remove and replace the damaged ground level lighting.

Our next meeting is scheduled for June 13 at 9:00 A.M. in the City Hall Auditorium

February 14, 2007

Present:

Councilman David Kurkowski
Nancy Beale (Garden Club)
Stina Ferguson (Garden Club)
Gretchen Ferrante (Nature Center of Cape May)
Rachel Palermo (Environmental Commission)
Hilary Pritchard (Revitalization Committee)
Charlotte Todd (Environmental Commission)
Jo Tolley
Jessie Weeks (Revitalization Committee)
Absent: Curtis Bashaw (Revitalization Committee)

Immediate Action Items

Move quickly to resolve the city’s lease of the building to Rutgers University so that Gretchen can arrange for two summer interns to work on city parks this summer. Gretchen met with the city Manager and the superintendent of Public Works to make preliminary arrangements for the interns whom she will supervise.

Adopt the recommendations of the Nancy Beale and Stina Ferguson for the library plantings which the Garden Club will adopt as its project. Needed are removal of three giant yews and conditioning of the lawn by Public Works. (See diagram for suggested improvements)

Updated Report on Park Visits
(Suggested improvements in priority level)

Rotary Park and Welcome Center

Contact Rotary Club to enlist their efforts in maintaining or upgrading the park

Reposition benches in arcs conducive to conversation or concert viewing

Add benches and low maintenance plants to the Welcome Center since it provides the first impression of Cape May to visitors

Trim ivy from the holly trees and shape them appropriately

Remove misshapen trees at the Jackson Street end of the park

Remove inaccurate and redundant signage

Add picnic tables and new more appropriate benches

Add fencing with the theme of an urban center park

Provide irrigation for the flower bed

Provide a better flag pole.

Create raised path to link the park to Cape May Stage

Create paths from the corners of the park directing foot traffic to the theatre or to the rotunda

Provide a larger park by eliminating the few parking spots next to the pavilion. Compensate for this lost parking space by providing a local shuttle to performances at the park and to Cape May Stage to alleviate some of the parking congestion.

Harborview Park

Get professional help to modify the existing plan to create a more modest plan that can be used to enlist the support of the neighbors. A plan that will not include tall trees to block the view of the harbor may gain support from the homeowners’ associations who have objected in the past.

New material for the path and removal of the plastic edging that has heaved out of the ground. Clam shells would be superior to the wood chips that are now there. Perhaps pavers could be used for shorter paths that conform to current footpaths in use.

Top soil to enrich the concrete fill that now exists

Add signage to the park from Pittsburgh Avenue

Gretchen will supervise interns this summer to maintain this park and possibly add plant material

Remove some of the bicycle path signs from Pittsburgh Avenue

Library

Thank you Nancy and Stina for your detailed plan for improvements and the assistance of the Garden Club.

There was little support for the Creation of a Gardens & Parks Commission or adding more parks to our review.

Next meeting is scheduled for March 14th at 9:00 A.M. in the City Hall Auditorium

January 24, 2007

Progress to Date

Long Term Goals

A full-time horticulturist to maintain thematic consistency, appropriate plant selection and maintenance. This person can also oversee the work of summer interns.

A full-time grant writer to be paid out of the grant money obtained who will investigate city needs and seek funds to fulfill them.

A part-time city planner who can work towards coordination of the entire area, including Schellinger’s Landing and a bike path along the railroad tracks to connect Cape May to Cold Spring.

Possible formation of a Parks Commission.

Short Term Goals

Focus on the Gateway design to introduce a new garden city design for the city. Among the needs to be considered are:

Need for traffic calming
Matching plantings that can be adequately maintained
Wooden signs, well designed
Hanging baskets on the bridge
Possible local business sponsorship of triangles or baskets

Continued discussion of the allocation of Public Works resources. Approximately, $18,000 is now being spent on labor and $6,000 for flowers.

Recommendations for three City Parks

These are our initial modest recommendations after we visited all sites.

Harborview Park

Get professional help to modify the existing plan to create a more modest plan that can be used to enlist the support of the neighbors. A plan that will not include tall trees to block the view of the harbor may gain support from the homeowners’ associations who have objected in the past.

New material for the path and removal of the plastic edging that has heaved out of the ground. Clam shells would be superior to the wood chips that are now there. Perhaps pavers could be used for shorter paths that conform to current footpaths in use.

Top soil to enrich the concrete fill that now exists

Add signage to the park from Pittsburgh Avenue

Use of interns this summer to maintain this park and possibly add plant material

Remove some of the bicycle path signs from Pittsburgh Avenue

Rotary Park and Welcome Center

Contact Rotary Club to enlist their efforts in maintaining or upgrading the park

Reposition benches in arcs conducive to conversation or concert viewing

Add benches and low maintenance plants to the Welcome Center since it provides the first impression of Cape May to visitors

Trim ivy from the holly trees and shape them appropriately

Remove misshapen trees at the Jackson Street end of the park and replace them 2 for 1

Remove inaccurate and redundant signage

Add picnic tables and new more appropriate benches

Add fencing with the theme of an urban center park

Provide irrigation for the flower bed

Provide a better flag pole.

Create raised path to link the park to Cape May Stage

Create paths from the corners of the park directing foot traffic to the theatre or to the rotunda

Provide a larger park by eliminating the few parking spots next to the pavilion. Compensate for this lost parking space by providing a local shuttle to performances at the park and to Cape May Stage to alleviate some of the parking congestion.

Library

The Garden Club has submitted a plan to remove some of the overgrown shrubbery and plant colorful annuals this summer.