Release Date: May 31,2024
Summer Beautification Elements Return to Downtown Akron with New Rogers Garden
May 31, 2024, Akron, Ohio — Downtown Akron Partnership announces the return of summer beautification elements to downtown Akron, including a new in-ground garden bed installed on the northwest corner of Main and Bowery Streets at the beginning of May. The garden, made possible with support from the Richard S. and Alita Rogers Family Foundation, consists of perennial plants that will blossom for years to come.
"Alita and I are thrilled to support the beautification project as a part of our overall mission to enhance the visitor experience in downtown Akron," said Rick Rogers, President of the Richard S. and Alita Rogers Family Foundation and Executive Director and Founder of the arts nonprofit, Curated Storefront. The garden was designed and installed by KGK and Company, a landscape, architecture and construction business based in Hudson.
The official start of downtown’s summer beautification initiatives began on May 24, when DAP staff and ambassadors hung 114 baskets filled with petunias on light poles along Main Street. During the first week of June, DAP staff, ambassadors and volunteers from The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company will work together to plant downtown’s remaining 120 self-watering planters and 27 flower boxes. This is the fifth year in a row that DAP is engaging community volunteers from Goodyear as part of their annual Global Week of Volunteering.
Hanging Basket Sponsorships
This year, DAP is piloting a sponsorship program for the 114 hanging flower baskets on Main Street. Businesses, organizations and individuals have the opportunity to support DAP’s summer beautification efforts by contributing $150, which covers the planting, installation and maintenance of two hanging baskets (installed on one pole). Additional pairs of baskets can be sponsored for $100 per pole. More information about this opportunity, as well as opportunities for summer event sponsorships, are on the DAP website: https://www.downtownakron.com/about/sponsorship.
Consensus-Driven Beautification
In 2018, DAP sunsetted the long-standing Adopt-a-Planter program, in which individual businesses and organizations had the opportunity to “adopt” containers, decorate them, and decide how to fill them with plants. Now, DAP’s expanded downtown beautification program is consensus driven, stakeholder led, and sustainability centered. Each year, DAP collaborates with Keep Akron Beautiful and other downtown stakeholders to discuss plans for the growing season and how best to ensure downtown beautification elements are cohesive.
DAP is grateful to volunteers from Goodyear, downtown ambassadors, and everyone else who plays a role in maintaining a clean, safe and welcoming downtown, as beautification of public space is an essential aspect of DAP’s mission to promote and build a vibrant and valuable downtown.
DAP is especially grateful to the Corbin Foundation for their support of our ongoing beautification efforts through planting and the maintenance of downtown flower beds, planters, and containers.