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The scope of the project includes a new lighting system and tree plantings along the entire DDA district, which encompasses the boulevard and the downtown business district from Wood Street to the bridge. Landscaping on the boulevard islands will also be included. Total cost of the project will be approximately $475,000.

"Our goal is to restore the downtown and boulevard area to its once lustrous grandeur and beauty. We aim to retain the Colonial atmosphere Chesaning is known for," stated Brad Walworth who serves as Vice-Chairman of the DDA.

Work on the lighting portion of the project, along with tree plantings in the downtown business district, is slated to begin in late September/early October. A completion target date is set for four to six weeks out from the start date.

The DDA began the first phase of the project last fall with the removal of ten dead and diseased trees along the boulevard. The trees were infested with the Ash Borer disease and were overgrown due to lack of maintenance. The trees were removed to make way for 42 Capitol Pear Trees that were planted on the outboard edges of the boulevard area in order to create uniformity along the boulevard.

According to DDA members, planning for this project has been in the works for roughly four years now.

Currently over half of the existing lights are not operating. The group first looked at refurbishing the existing lights but found that the system was economically beyond repair.

"It is a 440 volt system with transformers that have been buried underground. The cost would be atrocious," stated Walworth. He also said the group found that the blue prints of the system, which was installed around 1990, are inaccurate and lacking information. "No contractor would even attempt to work on this system because we don't know what's underground."

Walworth noted that thousands of hours have been invested over the past two years researching both the contractors and the design aspects of the project.

The group has spent the past year-and-a-half investigating other communities' lighting systems and materials along with an in-depth investigation of five contractors who bid for the job.

"A lot of investigative time went into this project," stated Walworth. "We've been all over trying to find the perfect fit for Chesaning. We've been to lots of other towns including Perry, Freeland, Claire, Gladwin, and many more, and this is what we found that we think will make our town beautiful again."

Contracts for the project were finalized this month with J Ranch being chosen as the lighting contractor due to the quality of their products and maintenance agreement.

Leddy Landscaping was chosen as contractor for the trees, also due to their quality maintenance agreement.

The lighting portion of the project will include the removal of all existing light poles, wiring, and all other unusable equipment. The system will be replaced with new, 12-foot Polytech poles that have an aluminum core and a plastic exterior finish that is resistant to weather and physical damage. The poles will be black with a fluted decorative design and will be placed in the same locations current light poles occupy. The lights on the bridge will also be taken down, refurbished, and put back up.

The contract with J Ranch also includes maintenance for the life of the system provided no outside contractors are permitted to work on it. With proper maintenance J Ranch estimates the life of the system to be approximately 25-30 years.

The remainder of the planting portion of the project includes removing the 29 diseased and overgrown Ash trees along the business district that are heaving the tree grates on the sidewalks.

Those trees will be replaced with 29 Spring Snow Crab trees, which are slow growing trees that bloom white flowers in the spring. The trees have no fruit and will give partial shade along the sidewalks of the business district.

The contract with Leddy includes a five-year maintenance agreement on the trees which includes watering, fertilization, and trimming, along with a two year guarantee.

Other aspects of the project include the grass area in front of the Greenfelder Law offices, which will be removed, cement will be poured in, and the area will be finished to match the rest of the downtown sidewalk to complete the streetscape in the downtown area.

The grass islands in the center of the boulevard will receive face-lifts and plantings.

The grass on all three islands will be removed and the land will be brought down to the proper grade so it is level with the curbing. New sod and a new sprinkler system will then be installed.

A two-step retaining wall with plantings will be built around the clock tower. The remaining two islands will also receive new plantings. Walworth noted that it is important residents understand that no new taxes will be levied to fund the project.

DDA funds are derived from TIF (Tax Increment Financing) money received from Saginaw County, Chesaning Township, and the Village of Chesaning from taxes on properties located within the DDA district. "We do not receive any tax money from schools," he stated.

Future plans include new trash receptacles and additional benches. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held upon completion of the project. The Downtown Development Authority is an entity created by the State of Michigan to ensure that a percentage of tax money would be used to revitalize, keep up, beautify, and promote downtown areas across the state.

The Chesaning DDA was established in 1989. Mission of the group is to promote the DDA district in order to prevent deterioration and to promote business and tourism.

"We want to keep the business district open, vital, and keep people coming back," stated Walworth.

Several public hearings have been held regarding the streetscape project. The next meeting of the DDA will be held Wednesday, August 8 at 7 p.m. in the Chesaning Village Council Chambers. The public is welcome to attend.