Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist, Council Members Jeff Russell, Tony Dolce, Brent Sheldon, Kim Ecklund, Parks Manager Dan Stone, City Council member Marie Carrubba, Acting DPW Director Mark Roetzer, City Council member Randy Daversa, and Jamestown Citizen at the Third Street Tree Planting (May 13, 2023)

Several dozen people showed up Saturday to help plant the 37 trees that now line the block of West Third Street where the former Cathedral Oak trees stood.

The “Re-Tree-Ing” event held by the Jamestown Parks Department was part of the annual Arbor Day celebration and designation of Jamestown as a Tree City USA for a 42nd year.

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist said it was unfortunate to have to remove the 100 year old oak trees back at the end of 2020, “That due to various issues of disease in the root systems, we started seeing trees fall down on properties. It was a very tough decision for the city. Since that time, we’ve been working with the community to redesign West Third Street and make it more of a gateway into the downtown core. And so we’ve been doing just that.”

The redesign project involved the replacement of sidewalks, driveway aprons, new candlestick lighting, and the planting of new trees on West Third Street between Hall and Hallock Streets.

It was funded using $500,000 in American Rescue Plan monies.

Parks Manager and Arborist Dan Stone thanked the many people involved over the years in parks and with the forestry program. He gave special recognition to Chautauqua Art Gallery owner Leslie Calimeri for putting together the Third Street Oak Trees Art Show, “It involved a bunch of other local artists and photographers in the city and throughout the area. With her project, most of these donations, the work that they did and what they sold it for, most of those people did not take money for it. They donated 100% back, or at least a good portion back, of what they had done.”

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist and Parks Manager Dan Stone recognize Chautauqua Art Gallery owner Leslie Calimeri with the Joan P. Shevory Citizen Forester Award (May 13, 2023)

The art show raised $2,341 dollars for the Urban Forestry Fund. Calimeri was presented with the Joan P. Shevory Citizen Forester Award for her efforts.

The trees planted Saturday include a combination of ‘Columnar’ Sargent Cherry trees, ‘Columnar’ Oaks, ‘Frontier’ American Elms, and ‘Sun Valley’ Red Maple.

The block of West Third Street from Hall Avenue to Hallock street will be closed starting at 7:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 13.

The Jamestown Parks Department will hold a ceremony at 9:00 a.m. at Healing Word Ministries Church recognizing the City of Jamestown as a Tree City for the 42nd consecutive year by the Arbor Day Foundation. Following the ceremony, a community tree planting will take place where four varieties of trees will be planted to replace the Cathedral Oak trees that had to be cut down at the end of 2020.

The trees will be a combination of ‘Columnar’ Sargent Cherry trees, ‘Columnar’ Oaks, ‘Frontier’ American Elms, and ‘Sun Valley’ Red Maple trees.

Motorists must use alternate routes of travel and, as always, motorists should use extra caution while driving near this area.

Prospective teams should send a representative to the meeting scheduled for 6:00 p.m., Thursday, April 20 at the Parks Maintenance Office located at 115 Fairmount Avenue.

For more information, call Parks & Rec at 716-483-7523.

Easter Egg Hunt at Allen Park in 2017

The City of Jamestown Parks Department will hold its Annual Easter Egg Hunt this Saturday in Allen Park.

The free event is for children ages 12 and under and will take place at 11:00 a.m. in the upper level of the park where the playgrounds are located.

Parks Manager Dan Stone said the event will have three different areas for kids to look for eggs, “The younger kids, 2 through 4, will be over on the kitchen side of the park where our big pavilion is and the smaller playground. And then across the street from that is the big playground and baseball field area. We’ll have the 5 to 8 year old group and the 9 to 12 year old group.”

Stone said the various city unions sponsored the event, “Our rock and our pillar of the community, the Allen Park Women’s Club, also will be there for the festivities and donated some prizes and candy, along with the Frewsburg Soccer Club. And this year, Pro Hardware, that is down on Fluvanna Avenue, will provide us with bikes to give to the middle aged kids group this year.”

Stone said the Jamestown Fire Department will be bringing the Easter Bunny to the park for the event and they will be joined by Wiffy the Tarp Skunk.

If weather conditions do not allow the event to take place outside, the event be moved inside the Allen Park Rink.

No registration is necessary for the event.

WRFA’s Julia Ciesla-Hanley had the opportunity to speak with Jamestown Department of Public Works and Acting Parks Director Jeff Lehman, who is retiring from City Government.

City Council President Tony Dolce reads proclamation recognizing retiring DPW-Parks Director Jeff Lehman (March 27, 2023)

Three grant allocations totaling $365,060 to Jamestown businesses have been approved by Jamestown City Council.

The three resolutions were approved by the Jamestown Local Development Corporation board at its March meeting, but each exceeded the $100,000 threshold, thus requiring council approval.

Summit Wealth Management‘s request of $108,705 was amended through a motion by Council member Andrew Faulkner to $83,100.

Faulkner said the amended amount is what was needed to finish the project, “They’ve already started it and been working on it. They recently purchased their building. They’re making their renovations to fit what they need, and the effects of COVID, what they needed. So, the form we got at the last work session, they had to break down all that and that will give them what they need to complete the project from here.”

Council member at Large Jeff Russell said several council members did tour the businesses, “And business owners did show them around and basically show them their project that was going on. So, there were council members that did their due diligence when they were invited to check out the projects.”

The allocation of $167,105 was approved for Panache and $114,855 was approved for Labyrinth Press Company.

Council also recognized Department of Public Works Director and Acting Parks Department Director Jeff Lehman for his 29 years of service to the city. Lehman’s last day before retiring is Friday, March 31. He served on the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities and City Planning Commission during his tenure, which also included overseeing the creation of the Jamestown Riverwalk.

Lehman is being succeeded by Acting DPW and Parks Director Mark Roetzer, who was sworn in at Monday night’s meeting for the temporary position while the city continues to looks for a full-time replacement.

The program is open to youth ages 7 to 12 years old. The age determination date is April 30, 2023.

The registration fee for City residents is $5 per child, $15 for non-city residents.

For more information or to sign up your child, call the Recreation Office at 716-483-7523 or 716-483-7554.

City Rec Youth Baseball

The Jamestown Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department announced that children ages 7 to 12 can sign up from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14 and Thursday, March 16 in the City Hall Lobby at 200 East Third Street.

For more information, call the Parks Office at 716-483-7523 or 716-483-7554.

Youth ages 7 to 12 can sign up from from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Saturday, March 11 at the Parks Office located at 115 Fairmount Avenue and from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 14 in the City Hall Lobby.

Children of 7 years of age will only be allowed to play in the outfield.

City residents must pay a $5.00 registration fee per child. Non-city residents must pay a $15.00 registration fee per child. All children registering must supply proof of age. Children who played in the program in previous years must still sign up and pay the registration fee.

The age determination date is APRIL 30, 2023. Whatever a player’s age is on or before April 30, 2023 is the player’s LEAGUE age for the 2023 season. This playing age rule corresponds with that adopted by Babe Ruth Baseball.

For more information, contact the Recreation Office at 716-483-7523 or 716-483-7554.

JRC Urban Core Director Frank Besse, presenting to Jamestown City Council, said the goal of the project is to beautify downtown, improve walkability, and engage the community in a unique way, “So, we’re going to do a public solicitation for regional artists to submit their artwork. And we will use that artwork to beautify downtown hanging banners on light poles. And this will be throughout the downtown, Third and Second Streets will be the primary focus but we’ll look for unique opportunities to put things other places.”

Chautauqua Art Gallery owner Leslie Calimeri said she was living in Northern Virginia when they started a similar program 11 years ago. She says they’ve been doing it ever since, “We reached out to the Arts Council in Winchester, Virginia and have used a lot of the information that they’ve really kind of perfected and polished over the years to create this program. I think it’s exciting to have a partnership with the businesses. They help sponsor the banners. And it creates a good partnership there as well. This year, we’re looking for some grant funding to help get it started. But, we are hoping to be able keep it going and move in the direction of having it just business-private-public support system there.”

Calimeri said interested artists may submit up to three works for consideration to the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation. These works will be juried by a selection committee.

The chosen pieces will be professionally photographed for display on the banners.

At the end of the year, the banners will be removed and given to the sponsor, or the sponsor may choose to donate the banner to the artist.

Calimeri and Besse said they hope to install banners in June and provide a walking tour brochure on the banners.

Interested artists and those interested in sponsoring a banner can find information and an application at https://www.jamestownrenaissance.org/artscape/.

The deadline for both artists and sponsorship is April 7, 2023.