Harborfront bike path bed, site A-7, available for adoption this year.

In their neon-yellow safety vests, Revitalize Dunkirk volunteers are often mistaken for city employees by passersby who stop to chat with and thank them as they work on dozens of public gardens around town. Much of this work happens as part of the Adopt-a-Garden program begun eight years ago as a cooperative venture between the city’s Department of Public Works and Revitalize Dunkirk, Inc.

Adopt-a-Garden originated as a way for interested community members to apply at the beginning of each growing season to plant and maintain many of the raised flower beds in parks and at city limit signs. Since then, Revitalize Dunkirk volunteers have entirely rebuilt and replanted a raised bed in Bataan Ave.’s pocket park, created four new ones at city limit signs that lacked them, and started needed repairs on the garden bed wall beneath the Wright Park sign.

The 18 members of Revitalize Dunkirk’s Beautification Committee have been the program’s most active “adopters” so far, but participation is open to any interested individual or group. Last year two City of Dunkirk employees chose the site at the Whispering Giant statue to improve with bright plantings of annual flowers. This year a church group has expressed interest in adopting the raised-bed flower garden at Central and Bataan avenues.

Interested volunteer gardeners may contact Andy Bohn in the Public Works Department at City Hall at 716-366-9837 or abohn@cityofdunkirk.com for more information or to complete an Adopt-A-Garden Agreement. This paperwork outlines basic rules for on-site activities, asks for a simple description of planting plans, requires signing a waiver of liability, and explains that volunteer gardeners are responsible for any expenses incurred.

Most Adopt-a-Garden beds are already filled with a variety of perennial flowering plants that need only routine maintenance–weeding, pruning, deadheading, mulching and occasional division of clumps of flowers that have grown too large for the space. Many sites have room around the edges to add low-growing annuals for summer-long color, if desired. Regular watering is necessary only for annual flowers, new plantings of any kind, or during droughts.

This year the city has added five new sites at the City Pier to the Adopt-a-Garden program–one at the pier entrance bed surrounding the “Boardwalk” sign, two in the boat launch sign area, and two on the pier itself. Professionally designed and landscaped, these beds primarily require regular weeding and deadheading during the growing season. There is room in some of the beds to add plants where the original ones have failed. Note that any major plant additions or removals must be described on the Adopt-a-Garden application and receive approval.

A few other Adopt-a-Garden sites are available this season, as well. These include the elliptical flower bed next to the harbor-front bike path in the empty lot between the Clarion and the Steger Apartments and another at the city limit sign at Vineyard Drive and Main Street Extension.

In addition to their work on nine Adopt-a-Garden sites, Revitalize Dunkirk’s Beautification Committee members maintain many other ornamental public plantings. They anticipate hosting a garden party in May to share information with anyone interested in joining them in these efforts. With an average age of well over 70, these avid gardeners always welcome new helpers, whether experienced or beginners.

Revitalize Dunkirk, Inc., is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with a mission of advocating for improved urban living by enhancing the City’s physical infrastructure and boosting community pride and vision. Go to www.revitalizedunkirk.com or email revitalizedunkirk@gmail.com, subject line “garden helpers” to learn more.