Flower City Looking Good! (2001 LGAA)

City of Rochester (Winner)
County: Monroe County
Population: 50,000 +
City Hall: (585) 428-7045

The City of Rochester's Flower City Looking Good Initiative was an innovative volunteer-based community involve¡ment program with more than 40 components. The program focused on neighborhood renewal through gardening and environmental stewardship. During the year 2000, the program celebrated its 10th year of accomplishments.

The range of the program included such events as a Rose Festival which attracted over 40,000 people, five-Sunday horticultural sale days at the Public Market attracting 20,000 buyers, 14 guided bike, hike, and canoe events, over 30 community gardens, and a children's gardening program which involved 17,000 youth. The program was accomplished by a small staff and nearly 2,000 volunteers, numerous corporate and community donors, and local media. The City's Community Development Department allotted $5,000 to purchase plant materials for the program. The marketing aspect was leveraged through a partnership with the local daily newspaper and several corporate donors. Expanding from strictly a gardening program, the initiative addressed environmental concerns and education and volunteer care for Rochester's nationally-recognized urban forest. This program increased public awareness of area trail systems and provided the enhancement of the his¡toric Maplewood Neighborhood. After devastating storms in the early 1990s, this comprehensive plan provided benefits to the community from reforestation and beautification to heightened volunteerism and community pride.