The East Ballard Community Association has created a "beautification branding plan" that aims to create more character in the neighborhood, building on successes last year to improve the safety of 14th Avenue Northwest with a new curb bulb and planted median.

In December, at 58th and 14th Avenue Northwest, the curb bulb was installed, a raised crosswalk that provides better visibility to pedestrians and bicyclists crossing the intersection. Also a curb extension, bioswale and planted median were installed to calm traffic as well as filter rainwater before it reaches Salmon Bay.

It's part of the neighbor's long-term project to beautify and improve safety on 14th Avenue Northwest, which started in 2005.

“Realizing that project will take a lot of money and years, I sat down and kind of drew up a plan that I think we can implement in the meantime to still get the affects of beautifying Ballard with sort of working with what we have,” said Shannon Dunn, member of East Ballard Community Association and the 14th Avenue Steering Committee.

The beautification and branding of East Ballard will be a working plan to guide the neighborhood to a highest quality of life by working as a community to encourage a sense of hometown and a feeling of belonging, Dunn said.

“This is sort of a planning scheme that will allow people to identify themselves as members of East Ballard,” Dunn said.

Last Saturday, April 18, at the group's Adopt-A-Street and Planting party, five or six different plants were chosen and placed in the curb bulbs at the crosswalk in front of Blowing Sands (14th and 58th.)

“We planted plantings within them,” Dunn said. “If you own a shop and want to participate in this branding, you can find the specific plantings and kind of design your own big pot for the front of your shop or residence.”

The plants included sedum, heuchera, rush, phormium, sedge, iris and strawberry.

As this idea spreads throughout the East Ballard neighborhood, Dunn hopes that when people look around they will be able to recognize that those plants are something that are unique and special, yet allows for some creativity within the neighborhood.

“You can see all the businesses on 65th eventually have a different planter outside, sort of like Rodeo Drive, but a little low key and down home,” Dunn said. “I think people like David (of Blowing Sands) will be more than willing to share the caring.”

They also hope to work with the city to take the next step and start working on getting the shrubs out of the existing cement medians that are on 14th Avenue.

“The tallest thing will only be 2 feet and the other piece that we have is an opportunity from the city by taking responsibility for these planters on 3rd Avenue that the merchants association will not take over once their maintenance contract is up,” Dunn said. “They are beautiful 5 foot around planters and we can see putting them at the edge of the gravel medians (14th Avenue) and having people or private citizens or businesses 'adopt-a-planter.'”

Dunn said not only is the project a step toward overall improvement to the avenue but all the plantings and pots can either be undone, redone, and moved elsewhere as needed at a very affordable cost.

“It’s kind of a way to get something started and done that is not hugely expensive and nobody is going to have to rip out anything to get the grand vision,” said Dawn Hemminger of the East Ballard Community Association and 14th Avenue Steering Committee. “We’re starting to get people who are really wanting to become involved and be apart of the community, East Ballard is getting their name on the map.”