Spring is here and LakeTown Landing is ready for flowers!
May 16, 2011 – Moses Lake, Washington. Spring is here and Third Avenue in LakeTown Landing is gearing up for spring flowers. There are around 150 cement planters located in the downtown area that are filled with plants and flowers. The pots give life to downtown year round.
The Moses Lake Business Association makes a donation to the Horticulture students from the Moses Lake High School. According to Chad Utter, instructor, the program teaches plant growth and development, responsibility, pride in putting out a good product and business management. “We figure out which plants that they’ll put in the pots, and then we’ll generally order plugs, (started plants) in September. Due mainly to the fact that it is a semester long class and it doesn’t start until January. Then the students transplant, put together hanging baskets, maintain the greenhouse, as well as work in the greenhouse every day. Our goal is to have blooming plants throughout the season as well as ornamental grasses to finish out the arrangement in the pot.”
The Moses Lake High School has their plant sale in May that is open to the public. “After the plant sale we go downtown to prepare the pots for plant material, then we take the plants we have set aside for downtown and plant them.” “By having these pots in LakeTown Landing as part of a class project I believe the students take more ownership in the cleanliness of the downtown area and take pride in making the downtown area look it’s best,” said Utter.
Back in 2007 the Moses Lake Business Association purchased 68 cement planters and plants from Skaug’s Ace Hardware. Eight of the planters located on the corners of Third Avenue are slightly larger in size than the others. In 2008 70 planters were purchased to add to the existing planters.
The Moses Lake Business Association’s partnership with the Moses Lake High School’s FFA students began in the fall of 2008 in preparation of the 2009 planting season and the relationship has continued every since. The MLBA makes a donation to the group for their services. The students also plant the planter boxes at the ends of Ash, Beech and under Monte’s Mural at the post office as well as around the clock in Sinkiuse Square.
The Moses Lake Business Association pays a water master to water the plants all summer as well as fertilize and remove dead plant material from the planters. The MLBA has a Gator and a pressurized tank that is used primarily for this purpose.
Dustyn Mattes, Moses Lake Business Association President, said “I appreciate the hard work and the students involved really help make downtown look wonderful. Without this effort a project like this would be left up to individual businesses. MLBA is thankful the Horticulture Department chose to help us with this project, it really has brought an added beauty to our downtown.”
The Moses Lake Business Association (MLBA) is a non-profit organization formed in 1993 by interested Moses Lake citizens. The purpose of the organization is to stimulate economic development in the Moses Lake business district called LakeTown Landing and to promote the area as an exciting place to live, shop, work and play. The MLBA also seeks to maintain a healthy business community and a high quality of life. MLBA is a member of the Washington State Downtown Revitalization Program. It is currently seeking to obtain Main Street Program status, which will benefit the organization by qualifying for state and national funding for programs and projects. The four components of this program are design, economic restructuring, promotion and organization.
To contact the Moses Lake Business Association you can call 509-764-1745 or visit their website at www.mlbacares.org. You can also become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mlbacares or www.facebook.com/LakeTownLanding.
