Revitalize Dunkirk volunteers Steve & Mary Rees, Al Hollander and Jim Enser finished with tree planting at Dunkirk Middle School. Submitted Photo

Although COVID-19 forced cancellation this year of most Revitalize Dunkirk general membership and committee meetings, members still completed many projects while working in small groups, wearing masks and socially distancing.

Perhaps best known for initiating and funding Dunkirk’s downtown hanging flower baskets, Revitalize Dunkirk engages in a variety of other civic beautification and improvement projects as well. A $1,500 Environmental Fund grant from the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation (NCCF) received in 2019 allowed the purchase of two sets of trash and recycle bins for beach entrances at Main St. and Wright Park with the aim of reducing litter there.

If city beachgoers haven’t yet noticed the new black and blue bins, it’s because their placement was delayed twice. Although bought in 2019, they were received too late for use last year. Street and beach closures resulting from storm damage to the lake wall and COVID-19 restrictions at the beginning of this year’s season once again delayed their placement until mid-summer; they are stored over winter but will reappear each spring for warm weather use.

In 2021, area cyclists can look forward to at least two conveniently located bike repair stations. Revitalize Dunkirk is donating two bicycle air pump stands for installation alongside bike maintenance stations provided by the City. One pump will join the bike repair tool stand already in place on Lake Shore Drive East near the Boardwalk. The pocket park at Bataan and Central is the likely location for a second bike maintenance and repair station and donated air pump.

Another NCCF Environmental Fund grant of $1000 received in February this year helped fund 10 native trees and three native shrubs for Dunkirk’s public areas. Members of the organization’s Beautification Committee planted, staked, mulched, weeded and watered the new trees and shrubs from April through October to make sure they got off to a strong start.

Revitalize Dunkirk volunteers Linda Bradigan, Mary Rees, Judy & Al Hollander, Joan Houck, Chris Pinkoski and Patrick Lyons gather to weed Pier plantings. Not pictured: Jim & Diane Enser, Steve Rees.

Each ward received at least one of the new trees which are located in the Bataan Ave. pocket park, Wright Park, Washington Park, Kosciuszko Park, and Dunkirk Middle School grounds, as well as on the rights-of-way by the Robo station on Fifth Street and next to the city parking lot on Washington Ave.

In a year of activities dominated by tree planting, the organization also assisted The Dunkirk Historical Society with new landscaping this fall. Revitalize Dunkirk paid for the Society’s choice of dogwood trees encircled by boxwoods to flank the museum’s recently repaired front steps. Under the leadership of retired nurseryman Sam Mancuso, Revitalize Dunkirk volunteers joined Historical Society members in a fall work party to install the new plantings and clean up the grounds in front of the building.

Across the street from the museum, Revitalize Dunkirk members helped sand and repaint the railings and support columns of the gazebo in Washington Park in October in response to a request for volunteers from Jill Meaux in the city’s Development Department. In addition, the all-volunteer organization sought and received permission from City Hall this year to assist the Parks Dept. with the daunting task of weeding the extensive new landscaping at the City Pier and Boardwalk. More members came out in November to help string Christmas lights on the trees in front of City Hall.

Other 2020 activities included the third year of the Adopt-a-Garden program developed in cooperation with city officials in which volunteers apply to plant and maintain raised beds on city property at 11 agreed-upon sites, most of them located at city limit or park signs. From May through September, Revitalize Dunkirk members can be seen planting, weeding, watering, pruning and mulching flower gardens at these public sites for the enjoyment of all residents.

The volunteers also cultivate many street-side pocket gardens, a noticeable trend in both members’ and non-members’ neighborhoods around Dunkirk for several years. Materials for these gardens, as well as for others maintained on property belonging to the Dunkirk Housing Authority, Brooks Hospital and Dunkirk Public Schools (Bicentennial Park), come from members’ own gardens or are paid for by proceeds from Revitalize Dunkirk’s annual plant sale. Consisting mostly of perennial divisions from members’ own gardens, the 2nd annual plant sale this May netted over $1,000 to support these efforts.

To show appreciation for home gardening efforts in the community at large, Revitalize Dunkirk mailed “thank you” postcards several times during the growing season this year to various residents in each ward. Based on recommendations from volunteers, these gardeners received cards expressing appreciation for making Dunkirk a more attractive and nicer place to live.

Community members interested in assisting with these civic gardening efforts may contact Mary Rees for more information at revitalizedunkirk@gmail.com, subject line “garden helpers.”

Revitalize Dunkirk’s ad hoc Battery Point Committee is looking forward to resuming meetings in the new year and to continued discussions with city officials for the possible creation of a public nature and hiking area on the city-owned, scenic lake front parcel between the water treatment plant and the planned Battery Point Villas private development site.

Revitalize Dunkirk, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with a mission of advocating for improved urban living by enhancing the City’s physical infrastructure, reinvigorating commerce, and boosting community pride and vision. The organization promotes projects to beautify the community through public landscaping and art, enhanced streetscapes, and community involvement, with a goal of increasing business, tourism and residential opportunities.

All members of the community with similar concerns are welcome and encouraged to attend Revitalize Dunkirk’s general meetings which, before COVID-19 cancellations, occurred on the third Thursday of each month, January through November, at 6:30 p.m., at the Fredonia Technology Incubator, 214 Central Ave., Dunkirk. For more information, including notice of when meetings will resume, visit us on Facebook or at: www.revitalizedunkirk.com.