Grove will plant seeds of Austintown rebirth

Nine flowering pear trees are still available.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- Celebration Grove in the township park will be a quiet place where visitors can reflect and enjoy the park's beauty, says a member of the township's Rotary.
Rotary and Austintown Growth Foundation members and township officials dug the hole for the first tree Monday afternoon.
The grove, located near Pogany Pavilion in the Kirk Road park, is one of the first projects tackled as part of the Austintown 20/20 effort.
"This is a joint project of the Rotary, Austintown Growth Foundation and the Austintown parks system," said Gary Reel of the Rotary.
The grove will include 100 trees, 60 flowering pear and 20 each of river birch and red maple. All but nine flowering pear trees have been purchased.
Markers placed at each tree will bear the name of a loved one or a message.
The cost is $185 per tree. Orders may be placed by calling Reel at (330) 533-7712 or Tony Cebriak at (330) 792-9462.
The price of each 9-foot to 10-foot tree includes a two-year guarantee.
All of the trees will be planted next week.
A place to relax
The trees will be planted to create five areas surrounded by the trees.
"There will be benches for people to come and sit and reflect," Reel said. "It will be a quiet place in the park."
Joyce Gottron, township park supervisor, said local landscape architect Justin Rogers designed the grove, which will be planted by J.J. Kiddon of Affordable Landscaping in partnership with Mashorda's County Gardens Inc., both of Austintown.
The grove will be dedicated July 31.
The Austintown Growth Foundation initiated the Austintown 20/20 process. The plan was developed using community input and the Ball State University community-based projects program.