Thanks Groundhog Open Sponsors and Participants
Fort Wayne, IN – Representatives from the business community and the Downtown Improvement District joined Mayor Tom Henry today in recognition of the delivery and installation of twenty new flower planters on Harrison, Wayne, Berry, and Calhoun Streets downtown. The new plantings were made possible by the participation of sponsors of the first annual "Groundhog Open" indoor golf tournament which took place on February 2, 2012.
Mayor Henry thanked the title sponsors for the Groundhog Open, St. Joseph Hospital and Fort Wayne Newspapers. "It's great to see such community support for downtown beautification. The private support makes it possible for a popular program focused on beautification of our downtown, not only to continue from year to year, but to expand throughout the downtown area."
Downtown Companies PNC Bank and Sperry Van Ness Parke Group will receive recognition for their participation in the Downtown Improvement District's new "Adopt a Planter" program. This program provides the opportunity for community partners to invest in the beautification of the downtown by sponsoring the annual maintenance costs of individual planters. Vice President and Director of Client and Community Relations for PNC Bank, Kari Huston, noted "Our downtown city block is solid cement, with no room for green space. The planters make our sidewalks so much more inviting. Customers and employees alike have commented on the noticeable improvement to our block. We are happy to sponsor the annual upkeep of the planters because we see the value they bring to the downtown landscape. PNC encourages other businesses to join the planter program and do their part to beautify our central city."
This year's expansion of the downtown planters raises the total number of units to 100 and with the recent spring programming. The 3,800 tulips and daffodils now blooming in planters on Harrison, Wayne, Berry, and Calhoun Streets, create a welcoming visual impact both for visitors and for downtown employees.
The watering, programming, and maintenance of downtown planters are contracted through the landscaping company Triscape in 2012 by The City of Fort Wayne's Parks and Recreation Department. "The on-going, annual commitment of the Parks & Recreation Department to downtown beautification gives us a solid foundation for the program to build on, and to envision expanding the planter program throughout downtown," said Downtown Improvement District President Richard Davis.
Davis further thanked Groundhog Open event Chairman Karl Bandemer and his organizing committee for their initiative and creativity to enlist the support of the private sector for the program.
Planter Expansion Details:
- The Downtown Planter Program began in 2010 as part of the Calhoun Street revitalization program planned by the Community Development Division and implemented by the City of Fort Wayne's Public Works and Parks and Recreation Divisions.
- All the proceeds, reaching $16,000 in its inaugural year, from the successful indoor miniature golf tournament the "Groundhog Open" are allocated for the expansion and support of the downtown planter program.
- The Groundhog Open was a true community effort bringing together corporate sponsors and golf enthusiasts for a day of indoor golf and downtown promotion. Title sponsors for the event were St. Joseph Hospital, a division of Lutheran Health Network, and Fort Wayne Newspapers. Due to the strong community support for the event, a second annual Groundhog Day Open is in the planning stage.