We try to organize activities that are fun for us and useful for the neighborhood, both visually and socially. We hope to bring people together over our shared goals, without imposing our aesthetic judgments on our neighbors.
An afternoon of open gardens and open houses, plus a plant sale, a prize drawing, and a chance to meet local contractors.
The Beautification Committee has assumed responsibility for relandscaping the finger of Bol Park near Matadero, which was torn up during the installation of the storm water diversion project. We're using primarily native perennials, which will require no supplemental water once they're established.
Volunteers have hand watered the plants through their first few summers, and we spend an occasional morning or afternoon battling the weeds with mulch and trowels.
Work day announcements are usually mailed to members of the Beautification Committee and emailed to subscribers to the BPA email list. (To subscribe, see BPA Mailing Lists). gardening gloves, a weeding tool, and a trash bag. For your own comfort, you might also want to bring a sun hat, a kneeling pad or stool, and a bright vest or jacket.
Like the City of Palo Alto, the Beautification Committee encourages the planting of trees along city streets. The city will supply saplings to residents who want trees in the city right-of-way in front of their houses. We are gearing up for one or more days of volunteer street-tree planting during the 2000-2001 rainy season.
All residents with space for a street tree are eligible to participate. For details, see the Street Trees page.