Neighbors beautify South Bend neighborhood
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Hundreds of neighbors will come together Saturday to beautify the streets and homes around South Bend’s west side.
It’s part of the 9th annual Lincoln Way West Corridor Beautification project.
Consuella Hopkins, who owns an accounting and tax firm along Lincoln Way, started the project.
Hopkins thinks this project builds pride on the west side. She says there’s an economic impact too because home values increase and businesses want to set up their stores in well-kept areas.
“It’s about multiplying and increasing our value and it starts with our value within ourselves, and it starts in our value of our property, and it starts in the value that we put in our children and where we live, so that’s what we’re doing,” said Hopkins.
Hopkins expects more than 200 volunteers to plant flowers, pull weeds, pick up litter, and more at Saturday’s event.
The efforts don’t stop there. Hopkins says at today’s event she will also launch a new, non-profit project called “Swella’s Ville.” It’s a redevelopment company that will revitalize homes and commercial spaces on the west side.
“You’re going to start seeing more businesses come up along Lincoln Way area, you’re going to start seeing more people buying and selling our homes in this area, and it’s something, again, that I want us to make sure that this is our area, we need to take care of it,” said Hopkins.
Hopkins says they’re still accepting volunteers for Saturday’s event. It’s from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. at 2217 Lincoln Way West.