For over 10 years the Altoona Blair County Development Corp. (ABCD) has partnered with Penn State Altoona to create and hang beautiful custom flower baskets to adorn the light posts along portions of 11th, 12th and 13th Avenues in Downtown Altoona, helping to create a beautiful and vibrant downtown.
With the unexpected closing of Penn State Altoona and suspended activities due to COVID-19 the baskets were not able to be produced as in years past. That is when Chancellor Lori Bechtel-Wherry, who is also Chair of ABCD, championed the cause to make sure that there would be baskets again this year.
ABCD worked with Chelsea Kerr from Kerr Kreations Floral & Gift Shoppe located in Downtown Altoona for this year’s baskets and crews have hung them all brightening the landscape and spirits of Downtown.
“It is wonderful to see members of our downtown community coming together for this project,” said Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry. “Now more than ever when normal summer events and activities are being postponed or canceled it is encouraging to be reminded of those normal summer things that have continued. Whether you are driving or walking through Downtown Altoona you are immediately captivated by the colors of the flowers brightening your way through our great city.”
“People every year wait to see the crews hanging the baskets as an unofficial start to summer,” said Pat Miller, Executive VP of ABCD. “We are grateful to Kerr Kreations, the City of Altoona and everyone that came together to ensure that the City of Altoona’s streetscape didn’t miss this summer’s flower baskets.”
