Field Notes: Ongoing Program
Over the last few years I observed how the next town over from where I live has been trying to jumpstart revitalization efforts. The town is Edison and the neighborhood is called Clara Barton. There are a few multi-story buildings but most are single story and spaced out typical of a suburban neighborhood commerical district. In years past planters were deployed and flowers put out. There have also been murals, painted sidewalk pianos and even a few events. During a recent visit I noticed most of the planters were empty. Most people would look at this and simply conclude no one bothered to put plants in. Given it is June and almost July I took a deeper lesson – the necessity for an ongoing program. Project success is not enough. What is needed instead are having people or an organization responsible for caring for, advocating for, and managing a downtown area day in and day out. We recommend for communities to provide funding, and with that to hire dedicated professional staff. This will help to divide rapidly revitalizing communities that those that go on from project to project, sometimes planting flowers and sometimes not.
Update: Apparently these conditions spread to neighboring towns. In October 2024 I observed this planter in Metuchen outside of The Greek. It’s the wrong planter, in the wrong location, and has been held on to after too many vehicle collisions. At some point you need to cut losses and try something new. In this case flowers in a damaged planter is not much better than an empty planter in a neighboring town. Both examples speak to the need for an ongoing program that recognizes needs for improvement. A strong ongoing program takes action instantaneously to improve the appearance of their downtown. Weak programs let visual signs of neglect persist.