'Flower Villages' Begin to Bloom -- by the Half Moon Press

June, 2001 issue

Village Vie for Flower Award Referring to the lack of rain in previous weeks, Rachel Ginsburg renamed handsome checks donated to Historic River Towns of Westchester (HRTW) municipalities, "rain" money. It seems to have worked!

For the previous three years, Ms. Ginsburg, representing Martin Ginsburg of Ginsburg Development Corporation, has called the checks "seed" money.

The funds are for the purpose of encouraging the 13 municipalities between Cortlandt and Yonkers to become "Flower Villages." Mr. Ginsburg conceived of the idea of a friendly competition between the communities during a visit to France several years ago.

At a recent HRTW meeting, held, appropriately, near the glorious gardens of the Historic Hudson Valley property of Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson, Ms. Ginsburg said she is increasingly excited about the project. As a resident of one of the municipalities, she said she has been watching people working on their gardens and in public spaces. "Things are blooming," she said. "The idea is catching on."

Ms. Ginsburg predicted, "Someday it will be like a fairy tale."

The project is to be expanded this year, with a similar competition on the west bank of the Hudson River, in Haverstraw, where Ginsburg Development Corporation is working on a new development.

The municipalities take varied approaches to the competition. Some rely on enthusiastic volunteers, others depend on Departments of Public Works, and some combine the two methods. Mary Breining, who heads the Pride in Cortlandt committee, has noted that more and more businesses in that town are supporting the project. Ann Marie Basher of the Sleepy Hollow Chamber of Commerce has made similar comments about Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow.

"Judging will take place in late July or early August, when the gardens are at their peak," Ms. Ginsburg told the meeting.

Last year the Town of Cortlandt, one of the largest of the HRTW municipalities, won first place in the competition. Second place was awarded to the Village of Tarrytown, with Croton-on-Hudson in third place.

In 1998 the villages of Tarrytown and Dobbs Ferry shared top honors, with Ossining placed second and Croton-on-Hudson third. Peekskill was the winner in 1999, followed by Dobbs Ferry, and Tarrytown and Ossining tying for third place.

Chairperson of HRTW and Supervisor of the Town of Ossining, John Chervokas, asked Ms. Ginsburg to convey the consortium's sincere gratitude to Mr. Ginsburg.