Number of adopted spots in borough climb

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GP Landscaping in Naugatuck has adopted the area in front of the Naugatuck Recycling Center on Rubber Avenue as part of the borough’s Adopt-A-Spot program. –LUKE MARSHALL
GP Landscaping in Naugatuck has adopted the area in front of the Naugatuck Recycling Center on Rubber Avenue as part of the borough’s Adopt-A-Spot program. –LUKE MARSHALL

NAUGATUCK — The Blight and Beautification Council’s Adopt-A-Spot program is celebrating its two year anniversary with the adoption of more spots.

There have been about a dozen spots adopted to date, according to Linda Ramos, who heads the Adopt-A-Spot program. The way the program works is an organization or company adopts a spot in the borough, cleans it up and maintains the area.

One of the more recently adopted spots was at Baummer Pond on Mill Street, which was adopted by the Rotary Club.

“I feel when you get an organization like Rotary to be involved, that says something about your progress,” Ramos said.

While Ramos enjoys the help that large organizations such as Rotary can provide, she knows that most of the adopted spots rely on local businesses or organizations.  

This is why she is pleased to have a borough-based business take on the largest spot that the program has ever offered.

Gordon Ploof III of GP Landscaping in Naugatuck has adopted the space in front of Naugatuck’s Recycling Center along Rubber Avenue.

“It’s the biggest spot anyone has adopted so far,” Ramos said. “It’s like having five spots in one area.”

Ploof said, “I thought [adopting a spot] would be a cool idea. Something I could do a nice job on. I could do something for the community I live and work in.”

Ramos said before Ploof adopted the area, it was not pleasant to the eye. It was overgrown, some of the rose bushes were dead, and the fence was covered with weeds, Ramos said.

Ramos said she knew Ploof was the right person to take on the job once she met him.

“When I met him I said, ‘I have the perfect spot for you,’ and he agreed,” Ramos said.

Sunflowers grow along Water Street in Naugatuck. The area was adopted by Christ the King Church as part of the borough’s Adopt-A-Spot program. –LUKE MARSHALL
Sunflowers grow along Water Street in Naugatuck. The area was adopted by Christ the King Church as part of the borough’s Adopt-A-Spot program. –LUKE MARSHALL

Ploof said he liked the spot when he saw it.

“I think it is a good spot. A spot that needs a lot of help,” Ploof said.

Aside from helping out in the community, Ploof said he decided to adopt the spot because it would be a difficult one for organizations to beatify.

“Lots of other organizations adopt spots and that one would be a lot harder for them to take on. Being a landscaping company I can take of it,” Ploof said.

Ploof dived right in. Thus far, he’s removed the dead rose bushes and pruned the living ones. He removed the vines from the fence, weed whacked the area and did a basic cleaning.

Ploof plans to add plantings, plant grass by the road and mulch the area. None of his plans are set in stone. However, he does have some ideas of how he wants the finished project to look, which includes raised beds with flowers.

“I want to make it a whole landscape design example,” Ploof said.

Any organization or business that wants to adopt a spot or more information on the program can email Ramos at lsrgigi3@aol.com.