Community joins to beautify Hagerstown’s Locust Street

The project is being headed up by the Bester Community of Hope, Lowe’s Home Improvement and a new Neighborhoods 1st group known as Bester Community First.

Bester Community of Hope is a San Mar-based initiative that works on positive outcomes for children and families in the Bester Elementary School neighborhood.

Initiative Director Keith Fanjoy said his group worked to bring Bester Community First and Lowe’s together for the effort.

Officials said at the council meeting that they are expecting 40 to 50 volunteers to turn out on South Locust Street to pick up trash and remove weeds.

Planters have been purchased for people along the street, and Lowe’s will donate soil and flowers to fill them, said Sarah Nelson, the city’s planning and outreach coordinator.

Lowe’s also plans to improve the exterior lighting on Locust Point Market at the intersection of South Locust and South Potomac streets, Nelson said.

Sam Barrick, leader of Bester Community First, said her organization already existed but under a different name. There were also some different members of the former group, she said.

Barrick, who has lived on Locust Street for about five years, said Bester Community First got behind the idea for the neighborhood beautification project as a way of announcing “we’re here.”

She said that a lot of people did not know the group existed, but she hopes people will be inspired to get involved.

“It will be a big day on Locust Street before the kids start back at Bester (Elementary School),” Nelson said. “I think we’re seeing the beginning of what may be a long-term kind of project.”

Nelson said northbound traffic on South Locust Street will be diverted from the street starting at Memorial Boulevard. Motorists will be directed to South Cannon Avenue, she said.

The work will extend to Antietam Street, although Baltimore Street will remain open, city officials said.

Sunday has been designated as a rain date for the cleanup.