A growing aesthetic uptown

A group of local women, collectively known as CWC, are hoping to grow an established beautification project in Creston’s uptown. In 2016, the group placed 12 hanging flower baskets along West Adams Street to improve the aesthetics of Creston’s uptown retail district. This year, with 21 in place, not only do they hope to replace the flowers in the current baskets, but to also expand the baskets by adding more along North Maple and North Elm streets.

“People plant flowers in their own front yards, so we have to think about our uptown area as the front yard to our community,” said Jill Hoakison of Creston. “This is just one more component to that welcoming front yard.”

Hoakison, who is one of more than 200 women affiliated with Creston’s CWC, said fellow member Lisa Miller has been instrumental with garnering volunteer support.

Hoakison and Miller are partnering with Jacque Green of Kelly’s Flowers, who will care and tend to the petunia variety before planting them in their baskets. The variety chosen is called “Above and beyond,” which is a mixture of two different varieties of petunias, some that are pink, and others that are white with a pink throat. Volunteers such as Jon Carroll of Creston Area Little Stuff have volunteered to water and fertilize the flowers while they are displayed, Memorial Day through Labor Day.

“It’s amazing, amazing they are doing this,” said Hoakison. “CWC ... we’re just a small component of this. Creston Area Little Stuff and community members want to see this project do awesome moving in to the future, so that’s why we’re asking the community to support this project financially.

CWC has requested $500 from the City of Creston’s hotel/motel tax fund, but it has yet to be approved. Hoakison said, for community members who wish to contribute financially, 100% of donations toward the project will be earmarked for the Uptown Creston Flower Basket project. Checks can be made payable to Creston CWC and mailed to PO Box 210, Creston, IA 50801, or sent via Venmo @creston-cwc.

“Anytime you go somewhere, you really truly are involved in the aesthetics,” said Hoakison. “So whatever that community brings to you, that’s truly how you are going to feel. Creston has a ton of great options, whether that’s retail merchants, murals and now this great momentum with the upcoming facades, great places to eat and coffee. So this is one more element that can really enhance that experience of coming to Creston and coming uptown.”