Beautifying Belleville: Flowers, Planters On Washington Avenue

BELLEVILLE, NJ — The next time you’re sitting at a red light on Washington Avenue in Belleville, take a quick look around. There’s a good chance you’ll see the results of a recent beautification effort from town officials and local community members.

Earlier this month, Belleville’s recently reconstituted “Green Team” kicked off its first endeavor, filling planters with bright flowers along one of the town’s most bustling business corridors.

The initiative, spearheaded by Belleville Mayor Michael Melham, is part of an effort to make the township a cleaner, more pleasant place to live and work.

According to a statement from Melham, the Green Team created the planters by repurposing old pallets, in essence, costing the township only “sweat equity.” The Green Team then received a $2,000 grant from the state to purchase native flowers, which they immediately put to work.

“It’s amazing what they have done so far,” Melham said. “Their hard work and creativity has made a big difference in the town. We have received a lot of compliments from shop owners and residents who appreciate the effort and note that something like this has never been done before.”

The Belleville Department of Public Works (DPW) has also been doing its part, Melham added, focusing on regular sweeps of Washington Avenue that coincide with the police department’s new community policing initiative, which assigns more officers to walk the beat and interact with residents and visitors.

Melham said the inspiration to have the DPW tend to the township’s thoroughfare was sparked when he recently visited Paris.

Melham said he became fascinated by a man sweeping a Parisian street with “great diligence” in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.

“My first photograph in Paris was of this man sweeping up, and not the Eiffel Tower,” Melham recalled with a laugh. “I was impressed with how clean the city was and I wanted to bring that idea back home.”

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