It was like the sun came out just for us today in the North Main Neighborhood of Salisbury NC! It started out to be a rainy, cold morning, but right at 11:30 the sun came beaming out...right in time for the City of Salisbury's Arbor Day Celebration on our very own Miller Street...the new gateway to the City Parks! Our City Councilman Brian Miller came out to read Mayor Susan Kluttz's Arbor Day proclamation. Urban Forestry Specialist Eric Muecke, N.C. Division of Forest Resources, attended
and presented the Tree City USA designation to Salisbury for the 24th consecutive year! He said that not many cities in North Carolina have this distinction! Following the brief service, NOMA residents, volunteers from other parts of the city, and Salisbury Tree Board members joined together to plant ornamental flowering crab apple trees along West Miller Street between City Park and North Main. The public was invited to attend and participate in tree-planting activities.West Miller Street was selected to allow tree plantings to complement our brand new sidewalks installed during 2009. The sidewalk project was funded through a Fit Community grant of the North Carolina Health & Wellness Trust Fund.
The City's Senior Planner Janet Gapen, who has been an enormous help to us here in NOMA, was also in attendance. In the news release for today's event, Janet stated, “Together, the new sidewalk and street trees will assist in fulfilling a goal of the North Main Neighborhood Association (NOMA). NOMA was instrumental in the city’s receipt of grant funding to construct the Miller Street sidewalks. In the near future, an additional phase of the Fit Community sidewalk project will offer the installation of sidewalks along Lake Drive, completing a 1.5 mile connector between NOMA and the Salisbury Greenway.” She exp
lained that NOMA serves as a volunteer organization that meets monthly and works to complete neighborhood improvement projects, and (here is the best part):“NOMA is dedicated to building a stronger, safer, and more vital Salisbury community for all.” Thanks, Janet!
City of Salisbury Landscape Division Manager Mark Martin was out there today to direct the crews and assist us in planting the trees. He gave a wonderful talk on proper tree care and planting. Mark explained that there are quite a few wonderful services the Salisbury Landscape Division can provide city residents. If you helped plant a tree today, you not only got to take home your gloves, but you got a free "Trees are Good" t-shirt or mug. Mark is also the Liaison to the Tree Board. If you would like more information the Salisbury Tree Board or the Landscape Division, please contact Mark at 704-638-5255. We may even have Mark speak at a NOMA meeting!
So take a drive down W Miller Street on your way to City Park, or for a pleasant cruise around the neighborhood. You'll see our brand new sidewalk and newly planted trees! Next spring, when these ornamental flowering crab apples are all a-bloom, You will also see what makes this neighborhood one of the very BEST in Salisbury ~ NOMA!
