Crescent Park, flowering trees and the centennial of the City of Warren Street Landscape Committee were prime topics during a committee meeting Tuesday.

Department of Public Works Director Mike Holt told the committee that the city council approved bids for the park rehabilitation project at Crescent. Council took that action last week.

He said the city is currently working on insurance pieces of the project and has sent the plans for review. He estimated building codes would be in hand within a week or two.

“I think we’ll be starting within the month,” Holtz said.

DPW Superintendent Joe Reinke said restroom work at Crescent started Tuesday.

“It’s a pretty big project,” Holtz said, explaining that a pre-job meeting will be held in the next week or two. Discussion at that meeting will include when park facilities will be out of service as the project unfolds.

However, he told the committee those issues would be discussed before hand to ensure interruptions are kept to a minimum. He estimated the restroom facilities would likely be closed for a month once work starts in earnest.

Holtz said the healing garden aspect would be ready for planting but Committee chair Josie Gerarde suggested the planting may need to wait until next year.

FLOWERING TREES

Gerarde said she’s seen white flowering trees this season but said the landscape needs other colors.

Reinke, who is also the city’s arborist, said the white flowers tend to come first but said the city has planted other varieties to bring various shades of color to the city’s urban forest.

“They’re just starting to pop right now,” he said.

DCNR Cornplanter District Forester Cecile Stelter said the white and very light pink flowers come first because they “need to stand out” to pollinators. “As (we) go into the season, (we) start getting darker colors of wildflowers” and ornamental trees.

“Some of it is just nature by design,” she said.

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION PLANNING

The committee discussed plans for a 100th anniversary celebration of the forming of the entity that is now the Street Landscape Committee.

They’re targeting an event in July but the planning is in the early stages. The group agreed to hold the event at General Joseph Warren Park.

The committee is also in a position to accept new members who may be interested in joining. Anyone interested should contact the city.