Green Thumb: How green are our medians?

Have you noticed the sorry state of many of the public medians in Green Valley?

Do you notice the broken and dying plants, sparsely located on mostly barren ground? Have you said to yourself, “I wish someone would do something about them. It speaks poorly of our community.”

Thus was born MedianGreen.

In December 2006, a public call was issued for volunteers. Since that time, the organization has evolved from a small GVCCC committee to a non-profit corporation, ready to take on the challenge.

MedianGreen has pledged to work together with Pima County to do what the constrained budget of the Department of Transportation has not been able to accomplish.

The reality is that any surplus funds will be used to pave and repair roadways, not to beautify medians.

If we want Green Valley to look attractive and put our best face forward, we must do it ourselves.

This must be a community effort. It will take the support of residents, businesses, organizations and various public departments to turn this dream into a reality.

What impression do we wish to convey to visitors and potential residents?

We have pride in the appearance of our own properties. MedianGreen thinks that same sense of pride must apply to our public spaces as well.

Visualize the various medians you have appreciated in other communities you have lived in or visited.

Lush ones in Palm Springs, desert settings in Phoenix, flowers and trees in San Diego - and then take a good look at ours!

Please join the MedianGreen team at the Green Valley Gardeners at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the East Center to learn more about the plans MedianGreen has to bring the “green” back to Green Valley.

Green Thumb is written by Green Valley Gardeners with assistance from seminar speakers. It appears Wednesdays in the Green Valley News.