MARYSVILLE – Third Street merchants expected some families to purchase streetlights with plaques to honor their loved ones, but they didn’t think the idea would catch on so quickly.
The Downtown Merchants Association’s Street of Families program has been in place only a couple of weeks, but by Monday the group had sold all 14 of the old-fashioned streetlights for one block of Third Street east of State Avenue.
“I don’t think anyone can believe it happened this quickly,” said Darlene Scott, co-chairwoman of the project.
Each family agreed to pay $3,500 for a streetlight. Each light will have a plaque to honor the family. The association sponsored the project to honor families and to help tie Third Street businesses to the city’s $6.4 million State Avenue improvement project.
State Avenue has been widened and utilities moved underground. Trees, wider sidewalks and the old-fashioned lights have been added.
The ribbon-cutting will be Aug. 13 as a kickoff for the Marysville HomeGrown Festival, which will close a couple of blocks of Third Street for two days for vendors to sell home-grown products.
The association would like to see the Street of Families project spread farther east on Third Street. The city will help install the lights, Mayor Dennis Kendall said.
“The citizen participation is just showing that we’re coming together more and more every day as a city,” he said.
Anyone who wants to purchase a streetlight and family plaque, or who would like more information, may call Darlene Scott at 360-659-2292 or Mary Kirkland at 360-653-3978.
Reporter Cathy Logg: 425-339-3437 or logg@heraldnet.com.
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