The Alton Beautification and Clean City Committee recently initiated two more efforts to perk up the city - one will take awhile as it evolves, and the second, smaller one will be more immediate. (More on that one in Part 2, coming soon).

Both depend on the willingness of Altonians to put forth a little effort.

Some creative ideas also will help.

The larger effort is through the committee’s subgroup, BridgeWest Transportation Corridor Beautification Plan Task Force. The 10-member subcommittee is soliciting ideas for beautifying Alton’s riverfront-Downtown entrance along U.S. 67, from the Clark Bridge along Landmarks Boulevard, north on Piasa Street to Ninth Street.

The group held a public meeting and “open house” last month to solicit the public’s ideas. Many citizens predictably wanted to see more fountains, a water wall, more trees planted along the route, reduction of overhead power lines and enforcement of city ordinances regarding unsightly properties. Some people also consider the “arrow” sign (don’t drive off the road) and its accompanying warning to move away from emergency vehicles that greet motorists coming in off the Clark Bridge to be less than welcoming.

At least someone removed the sign that had been there saying police arrest “drunk” (it should read drunken) drivers. Don’t they do that everywhere?

What was especially graphic to me at the first event, the Blue Sky Workshop, was a video tour of the route by Andy Franke of Planning Design Studio of St. Louis. I drive half of that stretch every day coming into work, and so I hadn’t even noticed how ugly it is anymore. The slow-moving tour, though, gave me a fresh look. Starting at the bridge, as someone drives west, there is an unattractive mishmash of various signs indicating points of interest, speed limit, road numbers and more. Some of the signs tilt.

There is an ugly gray electric substation, unsightly views of rears of some buildings, overgrown weeds and eventually the great, gray concrete wall of Alton along Front Street.

Franke said one likely outcome will be an attempt to consolidate signs in a grouping so the route doesn’t look so cluttered.

At the second event, I tossed some ideas to Franke for blog purposes. I told him how much I love driving to St. Louis in the spring along Highway 40 because a city initiative (Operation Brightside) to hire youths in the summer and put them to work planting hundreds of daffodil bulbs. Their colorful result pops up every spring. How lovely it would be to have people working off fines in Alton’s PACUP program, volunteers or city employees dig some holes and drop in bulbs along open areas and hills motorists see when they drive into Alton (such as the hill beneath City Hall?) and in the Route 143 medians (albeit east of the targeted area to be beautified).

Franke said there has to be considerations of mowing and maintenance while planning the improvements. Also, the Illinois Department of Transportation has setback restrictions. “We will decide what we can plant by what makes the most sense,” he said.

Not wanting to offer too much, I did comment that another feature I like seeing in St. Louis is the decorative terra cotta facades on large medians in the middle of some streets and boulevards, such as Kingshighway near the hospital complex and along Forest Park Parkway. Franke, a landscape architect, also has experience with those features. “We did that at the Olive and (Interstate) 270 interchange, which was successful until they got hit and started to look bad. They tend to get hit and destroyed,” he said, to my disappointment. “Large vehicles jump the curbs and hit them before the driver realizes it.”

BridgeWest will meet and discuss citizens’ ideas, and eventually formulate a master plan this year. Chairwoman is Sara McGibany, executive director of Alton Marketplace. It’s still early in the process, so if you have some ideas you want to add to their lists, I’m sure they would welcome them. E-mail Sara at:  sara at altonmarketplace.com or call (618) 463-1016. Leave a message if she’s not there.

Next time: Even your neighborhood can get a grant to plant some flowers, a community garden or other “beautifier.”

On the evening of May 8, I attended the Spring 2008 pinning ceremony of nursing graduates from Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey - a group of 38 people who decided to pursue new careers taking care of others.

The college promotes its nursing program as being top-notch, with its competitive admission standards, quality faculty and a new building with high-tech equipment and computerized “patient” manikins with realistic body functions. The curriculum appears tough, too, at least to someone who earned a degree in journalism.

The ceremony started with two lines of nurses, all dressed in white, filing into The Commons and carrying small white candles. The two lines joined in the middle of the expansive room, uniting under a lighted arch decorated with greenery. From there, they took their seats.

There was the expected introductions, speeches, invocation, Florence Nightengale pledge and benediction.

In-between the “expected,” was the unexpected - at least for me.

We heard the students’ stories of the toll that their intensive studying, time-consuming hospital clinicals and rigorous testing took on their lives and that of their families.

They weren’t complaining, though.

No, these people were thanking their parents, spouses and children for their support and understanding, and in some cases, letting them move back home so they could save money. They were grateful for those who babysat, cooked or did laundry for them when the nursing students had to hit the books. They related how they missed their child’s school program or had to say “no” when the youngster wanted to go to the park, dutifully putting studying first. “We’re going to Disney World,” one mom/nurse promised her little girl.

Each graduate had written out his or her short narratives, with a faculty member reading each as the new nurse came on stage with loved ones. The spouse or parent then stuck on the shiny, hard-earned “RN” pins on the white shirts. The nurse handed one or more rose and fern arrangements to his or her mother, wife or daughter and the nurses walked off, eager to begin their futures.

I had not realized until that ceremony how many of these nursing students struck out on this difficult new career path, apparently not happy with their present job or lack of a job. Many are well past the average age of an undergraduate college student, so they probably hadn’t had to study for years, another challenge. One man had a series of bottom-level jobs and another man said he was “sweeping floors” before he entered the nursing program.

That night I gained an even bigger appreciation for these students, and not just for mastering what is inside those thick, heavy books with every minute detail of the human body and ailment known to exist. What touched me was this excited, relieved group of women - and men - went through all of this work to serve others, most with the extra layer of family responsibilities.

My congratulations for working so hard, my wishes for a great future and my respect goes to all the members of this class:

Sarah Akeman, Stephanie Anderson, Rachel Baker, Christine Bellovich, Ashley Boyles, Michael Brady, Lance Bristow, Holly Brockman, Tammy Bugger, Jean Coffey, Robin Colbert, Skylar Coleman, Casey Cox, Cory David, Elizabeth Eyers, Jayme Ford, Megan French, Donna Gibson, Jamie Guthrie, Mandi Hanfelder, Lori Hazelip, Lisa Henson, Lori Hilyard, Mary Hutchinson, Melanie Ironwing, Michael Lawrence, Thomas Mattingly, Kimara Morrissey, James Noud, Kristin Prince, Christina Pyles, Kaci Ridder, Jessica Schwartzkopf, Stephen Sherwood, Tracie Sussenbach, Zoe-Anne Weller, Kimberly Willis and Amanda Woods.

For the past few years, I’ve heard criticism that the city should not build the amphitheater at Riverfront Park because it is not needed; it won’t be used enough to justify the $5 million cost; the money would be better spent elsewhere; and once finished, it will be hard to get to with limited parking in the immediate area.

Supporters of the project say an amphitheater has been in the Riverfront Master Plan for nearly two decades and it will be crown jewel of the park’s renovation. The money comes from gambling revenues, among other sources, and put in a “resticted” use fund. They believe with the right entertainment booking company, the venue will draw crowds to the city, which in turn will spend money Downtown.

I really don’t have an opinion one way or the other as to whether Alton needed an amphitheater, understanding both arguments.

The fact remains, though, that this huge structure is taking shape near the city’s best-known attraction - the Mississippi River. From the north, the evolving amphitheater resembles a partial “Cahokia Mounds.” Drive down to the park for a closer look, and you’ll see walls mirroring Alton’s old limestone, and mazes of metal that will form the partial roof support. It’s easier to picture how it will look from close up.

The fact remains, there’s no turning back now. The proof of its worth, though, will play out in how the amphitheater is used, and how frequently.

Of course some people ridiculed the idea that a top-notch performer would come to Alton, which is probably true, since the amphitheater only will seat 4,000 people. So realistically, the venue would attract lesser-eschalon entertainers, which isn’t a bad thing. It would be a good site for the Alton Municipal Band to alternate with which to alternate with their other long-time venues.The stage also would work for comedians or local entertainment competitions.

To increase use of the amphitheater, St. Louis-based or regionally based bands, including those who play at local taverns, should be welcome to perform there. Some of us like to go to their concerts, but when they begin playing at 10 p.m. or later, or in a crowded bar where you have to stand up the whole time, it’s not appealing to those of us of a certain age. A savvy band might choose to play at the amphitheater in the late afternoon or early evening, then bring the second half of the performance to a restaurant or tavern in Alton for a late, encore show.

So far, I’ve only heard there are hopes to offer a patriotic concert in conjunction with the annual July 3 fireworks show on the riverfront.

Those who plan the functions of the future amphitheater need only to look down the road to Edwardsville for inspiration and ideas on “doing it right.” That city has a small bandshell, the Cleaon Etzkorn stage in City Park. It accommodates the Edwardsville Municipal Band, the annual Arts in the Park series on Friday nights and some festivals.

The Arts in the Park concerts, most by St. Louis-area musical groups of varying genres, draw good-sized crowds of people of all ages. Children enjoy running about or laying on blankets and looking up at the stars while the music plays. Regulars bring their lawn chairs and coolers. The atmosphere is “small town,” and you see people you haven’t seen in years. Children and older people who feel the urge will get up and dance in front of the stage - a separate show in itself. Local organizations sell beverages, popcorn and cookies as fund-raisers. The best part is the concerts are free.

I’ve gone to several of the concerts and I hope they continue the series this summer. It would be great to also be able to experience this type of family-friendly concerts in Alton, too.

For ideas, groups I’ve heard play in Edwardsville’s series are Soulard Blues Band, Cumberland Gap, Farshid Etniko, George Portz and His Friends of Bluegrass and Raven Moon. I would request them to add Fiddleback and Nienhaus, Liston and Crawford to the lineup, for starters. I appreciate their Parks and Recreation Department for providing this entertainment for the public, even those of us who don’t live there and pay taxes to support the concerts.

Those planning the future for Alton’s amphitheater also should consider that sometimes the stage is only secondary to what is going on around it, as in Edwardsville’s Route 66 celebrations or its international fairs in City Park. While people snack and shop the vendors’ tents, performers sing or dance on the stage.

With some people in Alton taking the initiative, thinking creatively and keeping usage rates reasonable, that riverfront amphitheater could be a busy place. Let’s hope!