Volunteers Help make Norristown Green

Montgomery County, PA.  Downtown Norristown will get a little greener Oct. 18 as more than 60 trees, shrubs and perennials will be planted around Norristown Municipal Hall in an effort to revitalize the historic area through greening and support commercial investment.

The plantings, conducted by more than 30 volunteers, including Cabrini College students, will be held at Airy and Arch streets from 10 a.m. to noon. The project is made possible by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in partnership with the Municipality of Norristown and the Montgomery County Planning Commission.

“We hope this is the first of what will be many successful greening projects in Norristown,” said Norristown Municipal Administrator David Forrest. “We hope this will set the stage for a comprehensive downtown greening program in the future.”

The work follows recent streetscaping along Norristown’s Main Street and builds on ongoing investment to the downtown center. “Norristown’s revitalization is underway and its leaders are committed to embracing each opportunity for the town to become a more green, safe and vibrant community,” said Jean Holland, community planner of the Montgomery County Planning Commission. “We are fortunate to have the opportunity to partner with PHS and the Municipality of Norristown.”

Twenty students from Cabrini College and seven employees from Conshohocken-based engineering firm Remmington, Vernick & Beach, which consults for Norristown, will help municipal staff remove debris, add compost, plant the greenery and mulch beds. The plants, including several varieties of hydrangea, holly, dogwoods and day lilies, were generously donated by longtime PHS members Phil and Eileen Askey, who own Askey Nursery in Wallingford, Pa. The planting design was created by Sean Metrick, design planner for the Montgomery County Planning Commission.
Studies show people will travel farther to visit ‘forested’ urban shopping districts and pay more for parking, goods, and services.

“This is an opportunity to demonstrate the power of greening based on the Philadelphia Green experience,” said Michael Groman, senior director of state and national outreach for PHS. “Yes, it’s an attempt to beautify but an attempt to attract people, attract business and attract new investment.”

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s urban greening program, Philadelphia Green, is the largest and most comprehensive urban greening program in the five-county region. In the last year, PHS has increased its programming to the region including honoring greening champions across the state with its second annual Community Greening Award; training hundreds of residents in Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery counties in tree care, identification and community organizing as part of its Tree Tender Program; and planting thousands of trees as part of TreeVitalize, a program to increase the tree cover in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
           
Through its membership program, shows, library and outreach efforts, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society motivates people to improve the quality of life and create a sense of community through horticulture.
For more information about PHS, including regional programming and outreach, please visit www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org.
          
To arrange an interview with an expert on revitalization through greening, please call 215-988-8833 or 215-988-8836.

FOR PRESS INFORMATION, CONTACT:
ALAN JAFFE, email or call 215-988-8833
LAURA BEITMAN, email or call 215-988-8836