2024 Green Grants Award #25 for $1,000 Goes to Keep Hopewell Beautiful

Congratulations to Keep Hopewell Beautiful on their Green Grants award of $1,000 for their Community Beautification plans!

Keep Hopewell Beautiful is an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful and actively participates in events that work toward the beautification of Hopewell, in the Tri-Cities area of Virginia. Keep Hopewell Beautiful influences Hopewell’s residents to keep the City clean and beautiful, implements educational programs, encourages community involvement, and raises awareness about the environment, recycling, and waste reduction.

The Green Grants Community Beautification project will beautify Hopewell’s Rt. 10 gateway with new flowers, bushes, shrubs, and general cleanup. This is a highly visible area in Hopewell that serves as the initial greeting for residents and visitors going to the City and the historic downtown. The “Welcome to The City of Hopewell” sign greets residents and visitors, along with Hopewell High School signs. The planter bed is neglected and lacks plantings and fresh mulch. Funds provided by the Green Grants award will be used to purchase a variety of plants, mulch, and other supplies for the beautification project.

Photo of a street with an entrance sign and mulched area

Landscape design plays an important role in creating welcoming public spaces. The design of a public space can influence how people interact with it, how they feel when they are in it, and how they perceive their community. As the gateway to Hopewell and the historic downtown, this project is critical to create an inviting, attractive entrance that enhances community pride and creates a positive first impression for visitors. Currently, the area lacks appeal, and the poor image deters investment and makes nearby business owners and residents feel undervalued. Improving this area will support on-going revitalization and tourism projects, including the new 5 & Dime Scenic Drive (Rt. 10), Hopewell Rivers & Roads Festival (Fall 2024), and Downtown/Rt. 10 tree canopy efforts. This project will allow KHB to participate in the greening, beautification, and revitalization of Hopewell by increasing plantings along this heavily impervious corridor.

Beautification of the “Welcome to the City of Hopewell” sign area will benefit at least 12,000 people that pass by the proposed project location each day!  Thank you, Keep Hopewell Beautiful, for caring about the scenic environment of our Commonwealth!