Village of Lewiston receives update from Beautification on efforts to enhance Center Street, waterfront

By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

The Lewiston Beautification Committee’s Tasia Fitzpatrick provided village trustees with an extensive update, including projects completed and those projected to enhance Center Street and the waterfront.

“We have about 20-plus volunteers; and we have girls and guys. Some of the fellows are ‘voluntold,’ as we like them to be known,” Fitzpatrick said at Monday’s municipal work session.

“We have a motto that's called ‘Grow Positive Thoughts;’ we’re trying to be a positive community. And we, of course, do all the beautifying in the village for summer, fall and winter.”

Fitzpatrick said that, thanks to the support of Mayor Anne Welch and the clerk’s office, Niagara County Legislature Chairwoman Becky Wydysh, Assemblyman Angelo Morinello, the Lewiston Garden Club, village merchants, and the Williams and Moses families – not to mention a fundraiser at the Barton Hill mansion – Beautification raised more than $55,000 over the past year.

With the funds:

•Beautification purchased the new black fence in the North Water Street park overlooking the waterfront, plus six metal picnic tables, metal benches and eight metal garbage cans.

Four new metal swings also were acquired, but did not withstand the weather. They will be replaced, possibly with wood versions that would be stained black to match the other new park additions.

“We feel like that's a pretty big transformation, coupled with the DPW doing their work of extending the parking there, putting new things in, edging,” Fitzpatrick said. “I feel like this year was a big improvement down there.”

•Adjacent to the International Peace Garden, Beautification installed a new garden in honor of Dick and Fern Moses. Volunteers also redid the Marilyn Toohey garden at the Red Brick. The site includes a new metal bench donated by the Toohey family, as well as a new white fence and walkway stones, mulch, various plants and a tree courtesy of the Lewiston Garden Club.

•Beautification also bought:

√ Eight new black metal garbage cans for Center Street, thanks to a “matching” grant received by the Upward Niagara Chamber of Commerce. Beautification and the Lewiston Garden Club contributed monies toward the project.

√ Two hundred and twenty-five new Christmas wreaths to adorn Center Street fenceposts, with funds donated by the Lewiston Garden Club; and 225 new bows crafted by Village of Lewiston Clerk Shannon Fundis’ mom, Colleen.

√ T-shirts for members that “we wear when we're working on Center Street,” Fitzpatrick said.

“It's so great because people toot the horn as they're going by; they're high-fiving us; and it really is a nice acknowledgement for us, as well, to see what they're doing.”

As for future projects, Fitzpatrick said,

“The (Hennepin Park) gazebo, we took the bushes out. … We’re going to put something new in there.

“The stone columns at Fourth and Center, we’re going to add some bushes on the top there. We’re trying to add green wherever we can.”

She said, “When you enter the Peace Garden on the right-hand side, the wall that's there, that's part of (former mayor) Terry Collesano’s building. We'd like to paint that yellow to match the ‘Little Yellow House.’ … Terry has approved that for us, and we would purchase the paint. (Volunteer) Jim Ieraci (and a) volunteer group of kids would love to paint that wall; so, that might be a good spring project for them.

At both the Peace Garden and Academy Park, “We're working together on a design for a new arch. Dan Buttery is coming with some ideas,” Fitzpatrick said.

She added, “Next to Apple Granny’s, we're going to add a little fence there,” to protect the garden.

“The Toohey garden, we're going to paint the door bright yellow to give it some cheeriness, and we'll be adding some more flowers as the season comes by.

“Seventh and Center, that corner is St. Peter's property, but we're going to add some bushes in front of that fence. …

“In front of Stuart (Sports), there's a stone garden. We're going to rework that whole garden and put flowers in.

"And we're going to rework the garden around the clock (at North Fifth Street). It has bushes in it now. we're going to take those bushes out, so we can really add layers of color and do more things at Christmas.

“Those are some big-ticket items for a small group of people that really volunteer their time. Their heart and soul is in beautifying Center Street and Lewiston – and I couldn't be more proud to be, really, one that sort of leads them in this joint effort. But it is a lot of people that are helping all the time.”

Welch said, “We appreciate everything you do for us. Without you, Lewiston would not look as beautiful as it does; so, we really are grateful.”

Lewiston Beautification volunteers are shown working in the village. (Submitted photo)

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Agenda items

Also at Monday’s board meeting, trustees approved motions:

•Appointing Karla DallaToree to the Planning Commission, as an alternate member.

•Granting a facilities use request to Lewiston Assembly of God for use of the Alphonso I. DiMino Memorial Band Shell at Academy Park for Christmas caroling from 4:3-8:30 p.m. Dec. 12.

•Accepting the prepared full Environmental Assessment Form for the development plans for the Niagara Scenic Parkway viewshed creation by New York State Officer of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, with a negative declaration filed. This is in regard to clearing foliage from the Lewiston escarpment.

•Updating the facilities use agreement and boat slip rental agreement as prepared by Fundis; and OK’ing a resolution to establish a capital water line project reserve fund. Click to download and view those respective documents.

•Scheduling a public hearing for 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17, regarding the addition of local law No. 1-2025 – amend section 8 – zoning schedule, to add section 8-1 – setback illustration; and local law No. 2-2025 – amend section 7 – definitions.