The Neighborhood Developers and Chelsea Thrives partnered with NeighborWorks America to host a community cleanup and flower-planting initiative at Bosson Park as part of the nationwide NeighborWorks Week. Dozens of volunteers from the community participated, armed with tools, planters, and mulch to enhance their neighborhood.
The event marked the beginning of Chelsea Shines 2015, the second consecutive year of neighborhood beautification initiatives led by Chelsea Thrives and its Community Enhancement Team. This team identifies resident priorities and proposed improvements, then mobilizes Chelsea Thrives to address them.
Sharon Fosbury, Chelsea Thrives VISTA Associate and organizer of the event, noted that “wp-caption alignright” “Chelsea Shines creates an opportunity for residents to be part of the change that they want to see in their community.”
During 2014, Chelsea Shines brought together 225 volunteers—residents and representatives from local organizations partnered with Chelsea Thrives—to revitalize the Shurtleff/Bellingham neighborhood. The area faced significant challenges, with litter accumulating along sidewalks and attracting additional waste. Following the summer initiative, new planters and flowers transformed the streetscape, and community response proved encouraging. Survey results showed residents felt more inclined to describe their neighborhood “wp-caption-text” “as a good place to live,” and believed they could create “a great deal” of positive change in their community.
Mike and Christine planting flowers near the Highland Stairs earlier this month during the Chelsea Shines 2015 kick-off.
When the Community Enhancement Team planned this year’s Chelsea Shines efforts, they identified the streets surrounding Bosson Park as requiring urgent attention. They selected this location for the NeighborWorks Week initiative to maximize volunteer participation. The substantial scope of work demanded sustained effort, with volunteers starting at 2 p.m. and continuing through sunset. Live music and complimentary food sustained the volunteers’ energy as they cleaned and planted, leaving the parkside neighborhood dramatically improved.