Help us keep our streets beautiful

To the editor:

The Riverdale Main Streets Alliance writes to ask for community support for its volunteer efforts to maintain the streetscape and public spaces. 

The Alliance formed in 2012 as a nonprofit, charitable organization dedicated to stewardship of main streets, traffic safety, and support of local businesses and institutions. Without any paid staff, volunteers have been our foundation since the beginning. 

This summer, volunteer evenings take place select Thursdays, including Aug. 18, Sept. 1, Sept. 15 and Sept. 29 beginning at 7 p.m., starting at West 258th Street and Riverdale Avenue. Our small but dedicated volunteer group weeds tree pits and curbs, removes trash, waters and trims plantings, and replaces dead plantings. 

These volunteer effects supplement the mowing and landscaping services provided by Bulfamante Landscaping, and funded by our generous members and Riverdale tree sponsors. Locations include tree pits on Riverdale and Mosholu avenues, our welcome signs, Sheridan Triangle, and Van Cortlandt Park at West 261st and West 263rd streets.

These paid and volunteer efforts were supplemented in 2022 by generous support of Councilman Eric Dinowitz, who is helping the New York Horticultural Society install beautifully landscaped planters in front of the Skyview Shopping Center as well as weekly litter cleanup by Wildcat Service Corp. 

The efforts of our volunteers, alliance board of directors, members, Riverdale tree sponsors and elected officials are amazing. But we need more engagement from the community to truly make our public spaces sparkle. 

Please reach out to us with your volunteer time and support. For more information, please follow @rmsabx on Instagram, or e-mail riverdalemainstreetsalliance@gmail.com.

Giordana Avila

Chris Rizzo

The authors are members of Riverdale Main Streets Alliance’s streetscape committee