St. Ambrose students plant flowers near Gaines Street

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By Steve Trainor | Sunday, September 28, 2008 7:17 PM CDT | () comments

St. Ambrose University student Meagan Grafton of Bettendorf, right, joined others who used shovels and rototillers to make 30 flowerbeds that will line Gaines Street in Davenport between 5th and Locusts streets. Buy this Photo

Sunday was a great day for yard work. It was also a great day for St. Ambrose students, some of whom recently were criticized for not caring about their surrounding neighborhoods, to dig in and show that the majority of them do care.

The students wore blue T-shirts with the red and gold Superman “S” on the front. Their assignment was to help start a Gaines Street beautification project by creating new flowerbeds along the curbs. The Edmund Gaines Group, or EGG, leads the project, which will continue next spring.

P.J. Slobojan is the project director. She assigned about

60 Ambrose students to shovels and rototillers. After digging the flowerbeds, students planted tulip and daffodil bulbs. Slobojan said that EGG got permission to dig from the homeowners, who then promised to take ownership of flowers and

maintain them.

The objective of all this is to create more pride along Gaines Street, which has seen a rise in violence since tolls were removed from the Centennial Bridge at the foot of the north-south street. She said a more attractive neighborhood will lead to more involved residents.

“You’ll have people more proud of what’s going on; they’ll pick up litter and show this isn’t a place where you can do whatever you want, like use drugs,” she said.

“It’s a nice day for a service project,” said Samantha Slifka, an Ambrose junior from Cresco, Iowa. The Ambrose (“Bees”) effort is this year’s annual “Bee the Difference Day.”

“If they want help more than this one day, we’ll do it,” Slifka added.

Senior Jay Swanson of Dubuque, Iowa, said, “I wish every day could be ‘Bee the Difference Day.’ I don’t think we should have just one day where people come out.”

By the end of the first hour, there were student gardeners up and down the street, digging plots, laying weed barriers and spreading potting soil. Junior Shiobhan Bausal of Moline believes Sunday’s turnout was the largest ever. She says the turnout is needed to balance out some of the bad impressions given by a few students.

“We’re trying to help out our neighbors with things they need done. It’s fun, too; I’ve never done this kind of work before, so I’m learning a new skill,” Bausal said.

Homeowner Jessica Davis looked on as the students dug up her boulevard grass in the 1100 block of Gaines Street. “So much of Gaines Street looks dingy, so I know this’ll make it look better and show we care. Maybe people will respect property more,” she said.

Long-term streetscape plans for Gaines Street from the Mississippi River to Locust Street include adding energy-efficient LED decorative lighting, hanging flower baskets, improving streets, sidewalks, curbs and ramps, adding new signs and making renovations at Lafayette and Herington parks.

Scott County and the city of Davenport, along with several other groups, are contributing ideas, money and materials.

TO VOLUNTEER

Those interested in helping the Edmund Gaines Group, or EGG, with beautification efforts can call P.J. Slobojan at (563) 326-2894.

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2450 or newsroom@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.