Planter project beautifies Uptown Mt. Lebanon
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Walker Reidenbaugh gets ready to do some planting.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Audrey Chakos participates in the Plein Air Kids Paint Out.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Vivi Dowdy participates in the Plein Air Kids Paint Out.
Once again, the scene along Washington Road will feature more than a touch of green.
Through the Uptown Mt. Lebanon Planter Project, local residents, businesses and community groups have “adopted” the 30-plus containers that are in place, ready to maintain them throughout the summer.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Priya Amin gives guidance to son Ronin as his Cub Scout pack helps beautify a planter along Washington Road.
Members of several families were on hand May 12, during a thoroughly weather-cooperating opening day for the Wesbanco Uptown Farmers’ Market, to prepare their planters for the season. Among them were Cub Scouts from Pack 22, who are caring for a planter near the municipal building’s front door.
“The Cub Scouts has been a staple in the community, and we just saw it as a great activity for us to do as a family, but also for our son to get involved in his community,” said Priya Amin, whose son, Ronin, is a pack member. “Between the farmers’ market and just coming by the municipal building, it will be nice to see the hard work that the boys did, but then also just feeling like we did our part in making the community more beautiful.”
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Ella Svitek helps beautify uptown Mt. Lebanon.
Overseeing the planter project is the Mt. Lebanon Partnership, which has the mission of promoting economic growth and organizing events, including the farmers’ market. Rebecca Wanovich, partnership vice president and project coordinator, encouraged participants to be creative with the planters.
“Do what you want. Make it yours,” she said. “That’s what’s neat about this project. Some places have a uniform look, and then the municipality comes in and plants them all, which can be nice. But this is nice, too.”
She and her insurance agency, Pierson and Scott Inc., are maintaining a planter that also is near the municipal building’s front door.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Tessa Hoover paints her Plein Art piece while Boozy keeps her company,.
Bringing expertise to the project is Patricia Beck of Wild Rose Landscape Design, who provides guidance about the best plants and landscaping practices for certain conditions. For example, planters on one side of Washington Road receive more sun than those on the other, and Beck helps plan accordingly.
While the sun still was shining on May 10, the partnership also presented a Plein Air Kids Paint Out activity in which youngsters were provided with supplies to paint Uptown Mt. Lebanon scenes, based on a tradition popularized by French impressionists of the 19th century who desired to pursue their art “in the open air.”
Coming Uptown events organized by the partnership include First Fridays, performance-oriented festivities that take place in June through August, and Ultra Redux, celebrating the 10th anniversary of Mt. Lebanon’s first summer street party, on Aug. 3.
For more information about the Mt. Lebanon Partnership, visit mtlebopartnership.org.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Scarlett Foreman participates in the Plein Air Kids Paint Out.