By Stacey Tinsley, stinsley@bossierpress.com
A south Bossier group has come together to rejuvenate and beautify their neighborhood.
An estimated 60 residents around the Mayflower Road area gathered late last month at Mayflower Baptist Church to discuss changes that they would like to see around their local area.
Saturday’s meeting was organized by Mayflower Road resident, Tommy Smith.
“I’m on a mission to change things. You can look around and see that there are other people that feel the same way about what changes need to be made around the area,” said Smith. “With just this group that is here right now, if we put in just a little effort, each one of us can change our area.”
Also discussed at the meeting where potential committees that Smith would like to see formed within the group by community residents. Committee groups such as Aesthetic Enhancement, Legal/Government Liaison, Marketing, Roads/Streets and more.
In Dec., 2005, Smith hosted a brainstorming session attended by local government officials to discuss Bossier High School and the aesthetics of the surrounding community. Following the session, that gave them the impetus needed to start the Bossier High School Alumni Association, which he co-founded with Buzz Wojecki.
Also in 2015 Smith started an aesthetic enhancement organization in Ouachita Parish called Extraordinary Ouachita, Later, that year he started a chapter in Lincoln Parish.
“I would like for this to be such a success that other areas will want to duplicate what we’ve done here,” Smith said.
Located below is a description of Smith’s immediate vision for the Mayflower Road area:
- All road shoulder grass cut in a manner that gives the appearance of a well- manicured lawn.
- No litter.
- Fences along roads will be vegetation-free, or, with intentional vegetation that is kept trimmed.
- Homeowners will develop a sense of pride in that will translate into a desire to improve their home/property.
One to five years, Smith wants to take this method and “transplant” it to other areas, like all of Sligo Road, and he hopes to have completed at least one project that will be seen as “visually extraordinary.”
Smith added that in that time, he believes property values will increase, homeowners will want friends and relatives to visit their neighborhood, and friendly competition will develop that will prompt continual improvement.
