Spring and summer windstorms damaged or downed thousands of trees across Springfield this year, but one neighborhood on the south side of Springfield was able to replace some of what Mother Nature took away.
The Greater Parkcrest Neighborhood Association received a monetary prize for winning the “Neat Neighborhoods” contest. The money was used to plant new trees around the gazebo at Horace Mann School Park.
The “Neat Neighborhoods” contest began in 2024 and is funded by the Hatch Foundation. This year’s contest began on January 1 and will run through November 1. Neighborhoods that participate in the program can earn points in four categories:
- Community Planning
- Public Places, Parks, Roads, Streets and Alleys
- Green Spaces
- Tidiness and Litter Control
Points earned by clean-up and green-up projects will then be added up over the course of the contest. First place winners win $6000, second place winners win $3000, and third place winners win $1000…