With the Northwest Revitalization project set to begin this summer, Rafe Buckner has a vision for upgrading the lighting along a corridor of West 5th Street — and there’s already been some community support behind the idea.
Buckner, Northwest Neighborhood Alliance Chairperson, first suggested via a Facebook post that community members contact City officials about using some of the federal and local monies for the revitalization project to create a “boulevard-like” atmosphere through the use of ornamental lighting adorning the street.
Buckner’s Feb. 26 post suggested some funds for the project be used to upgrade the area running from Walnut Street to Locust Street.
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“I’ve been telling anybody that will listen that the West 5th Street corridor is badly in need of a lighting upgrade,” Buckner’s post read. “Something that will not only improve visibility/safety but also something that gives some aesthetic pleasure to the community.”
Buckner suggested his followers reach out to Director of Community Development Abby Shelton to give their input on the idea, saying the City was looking for feedback from the community about what projects needed focus.
Shelton told Owensboro Times she would continue taking all suggestions, concerns and ideas from the community about the Northwest Neighborhood Revitalization project seriously as part of the annual action plan’s 30-day public comment period.
“Rafe and his group have talked about beautifying the area there for a while, and they’ve done some work already, which is great,” Shelton said. “I have had some preliminary discussions with our city engineer about the idea. We talked about possible lighting down there.”
The biggest issue facing Buckner’s idea, Shelton said, was that the Northwest NRSA only extends to the north side of 5th Street, closest to the Ohio River. Currently, the south side of the street is not included as part of the revitalization project.
“There is currently enough lighting on the street,” Shelton said. “It’s pole lighting from OMU. Rafe, I believe, is looking at more ornamental decoration. It’s still preliminary for right now.”
Shelton said beautification lighting was always a great thing to add to a community. The Community Development department had already been looking into installing ornamental lighting along 1st and 2nd streets to create a connector between downtown Owensboro and English Park, she added.
Buckner said his vision stemmed from some of the neighborhoods in Louisville he’d come to appreciate — many of them historic — for their beautification efforts. Many of those communities had created “boulevards” through the implementation of street lamps, trees and flowers that adorned city streets.
Plus, Buckner said, additional lighting along 5th Street would increase safety and security for the area.
“It gets so dark there at night,” he said. “It’s just a vision, but we’re hoping to get the infrastructure part done, get the mural completed on the wall [at Kendall Perkins Park]. If we can do it, it’s going to totally change the whole area. I figure, while federal money is getting put out, I should put my request out there.”
When asked if Buckner’s vision of West 5th Street could come to fruition through the use of either federal or local dollars already budgeted into the project, Shelton said “Anything is possible.”
“The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” she said.
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