With the help of six young men from STAR Community Justice Center and their supervisor from the Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization Farm on Monday Ironton In Bloom Inc. shaped up trees that run along the side of Memorial Hall in Ironton.

“We cut upstart trees from the telephone pole and worked on the big tree behind the building,” Carol Allen, of Ironton In Bloom, said. “We raised the limbs so that people can see through the park easily and walk throughout that area without getting poked with low-hanging branches. This makes this area ready to create a small pocket park in back of the building.”

The group also cut branches and raised bottom limbs of trees near other downtown buildings.

“We cleared, trimmed and cut the trees in the vacant lot between the Destocki building and the empty one adjoining the alley,” Allen said. “One can see all the way through to the bank parking lot and the alley. This should stop any loitering during the day or night. The bank has lights on all night long and with this trimming it should light this lot to some extent. Anything helps that can keep our downtown safer.”

IIB also shaped trees on Third Street between the alley and the Kelley’s Health Care building by cutting out dead wood and pruning them back from the buildings.

“We raised up the lower branches so that the windows of the businesses can be seen more readily,” Allen said. “Because vehicles were parked in front of these buildings we weren’t able to do everything that was needed; but it is a great improvement. These (berry) trees are in bad shape and ultimately need to be replaced.