Category All Art Classes Classical Music Concerts DANCE Etc Exhibits Families Farmers Markets Film Happenings Holiday Holiday Lectures Music (non-classical) Theater

Submit events

MAY DAY ON MLK. Students from Bryant Montessori planted flowers along Martin Luther King, Jr. Way May 1.

City, school partnership Brightens up MLK

By Clare Jensen

Those who travel down five blocks of Martin Luther King, Jr. Way may feel the urge to squint, as the area is much brighter than it was in April.

Previously overgrown or vacant sidewalk planters are now glowing with bright green grass, marigolds and geraniums.

The new plants aim to freshen up the neighborhood, bringing a sense of pride, continuity and hopefully boost the economy in the MLK business district.

Creating “Bright Spots” throughout the neighborhood is a joint effort between the city of Tacoma, Upper Tacoma Business Association (UBTA), local business owners and Bryant Montessori.

“[Bright Spot] is a community coming together to beatify, care for, grow and nurture the space it lives in,” said Jennifer Richardson, district manager for the UTBA.

Richardson was the driving force behind the project. She said it spawned out of complaints from UTBA members who missed the flowers that dressed the blocks in the past.

“It hadn’t been done in a while,” Richardson said. “But we did it differently this time – this time we used the community.”

Instead of shelling out money for plants for hanging baskets and hired maintenance as the UBTA had done in the past, they tasked the community to get their green thumbs in action.

Students from Bryant prepped the planters with the city’s TAGRO and planted flowers with other community members May 1.

Local business owners will be responsible for the upkeep of their respective planters throughout the summer.

When fall comes around, local master gardeners will supply their wisdom and techniques for what to plant in the fall and winter months.

Some of the “Bright Spot” planters are in front of vacant businesses, which Richardson hopes will not be the case for long.

“[People] can drive down MLK and it’s going to look prettier,” she said. “I’m hoping that number one, it attracts more businesses to the area…and attract shoppers as well.”

In all, 36 planters in the vicinity of South 9th Street and South 15th Street along MLK have been filled with a uniform combination of bright annuals and grass.

“This is a great community service project,” said Jennifer Brown, instructor at Bryant.

Brown said that community service is a “huge part” of the secondary Montessori’s mission, and she hopes the school can have a long-standing relationship with UTBA.

Richardson said she believes the “Bright Spot” project will be an ongoing endeavor.

“We don’t just plan to do it one year and then be done.”

She said she is also thinking of other ways UBTA can involve Bryant to better the neighborhood around the school.

To adopt a Bright Spot, contact Richardson at (253) 224-8987.

Story Tools