The historic Five Corners intersection in downtown Ossining has received a botanical makeover. In late September, twelve colorful globe-shaped planters were installed on several of the intersection’s corners, overflowing with a wide variety of pollinator plants. There will also be two additional planters at the Spring Street bus stop. This is the final step in the long-anticipated transformation of the Five Corners, which includes bigger bump-outs, new signals and crosswalks, bollards, and fresh paving.
The imaginative force behind the planter project is the Village of Ossining’s newly-formed Placemaking Committee, a community-driven committee of volunteers appointed by the Board of Trustees. The Placemaking Committee aims to transform public spaces in the Village through landscaping, public art, events, and other projects that enhance public spaces and strengthen communities. The planter installation project benefitted greatly from the leadership of the Village Board of Trustees, as well as expertise from members of the Placemaking Committee as well as multiple Village departments, all of whom contributed to bringing this cheerful addition to downtown.
As members of our Placemaking Committee can attest, adding color, plant life, and flowers to a space injects life into it—and makes people happy. Plants celebrate our connection to nature and each other and bring people together. The selection of the brightly-colored round fiberglass planters highlights and complements Ossining’s historic downtown buildings. The committee also helped to select each planter’s assortment of low-maintenance flowering perennials and evergreens of differing heights, many of which are native and attract pollinators. Certain plants, such as winterberry, hydrangea, and some native grasses, were also chosen to provide visual interest year-round. The Village will ensure the regular maintenance of these planters to keep them looking their best.
“I am proud of the coordinated effort by both members of the Placemaking Committee and Village staff,” said Mayor Rika Levin. “Projects like this provide an innovative approach to complimenting the historic nature of our Downtown – all the while enabling the Village to make essential additions to the community that include green infrastructure.”
According to Village Trustee Dana White, who spearheaded the creation of the Placemaking Committee, the planters elicited a positive response almost immediately. “We were installing three of them along the curved wall at Market Square when a resident walked by and said the colors made her feel a sense of joy. That’s exactly what we’re hoping for. Everyone wants to feel happy.”
