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When a new welcome sign went up in the city on the eastbound arterial, proclaiming Poughkeepsie in two-foot-high, blue fluorescent letters, residents and nonresidents alike took notice.

"I see it every day when I drive across the Mid-Hudson Bridge from my home in Clintondale," Karen Palazzo said. "I like it. I think it represents what Poughkeepsie is becoming, since the city is undergoing a lot of changes."

John Mazzetti, a local resident and marketing manager of Mazzetti and Associates, agrees.

"It does justice to our city," he said. "Poughkeepsie needs something like this. It will look even better when it's done."

Surrounded by daffodils, the sign, a gift to the city from the Poughkeepsie Garden Club, is a work in progress.

The club held a ground-breaking ceremony in March. Soon, an 18-foot sculpture of ship sails will grace the top of the sign, something Barbara Peelor, head of the Civic Works and Conservation Committee, said is a statement about the Hudson River.

"We thought that triangle needed to be more welcoming," Peelor said of the spot where the sign is. "We wanted something with a strong connection to the city and how we're moving ahead. You can see it immediately. Poughkeepsie needs to be returned to its original glory."

Not everyone is a fan of the new sign.

"I'm not happy about it," said David Liefer, a former truck driver who was born and raised in Poughkeepsie. "It's going to cause accidents; drivers are going to be distracted by it. It's too flashy. People will glance up at it; it's an accident waiting to happen."

The project was budgeted at $80,000 and donations from various organizations and individuals helped the club reach its goal.

No public money used yet

The project was not funded by any state or city money, Mayor John Tkazyik said.

"As of yet, the city has not contributed funds," Tkazyik said. "But when they begin using solar street light, we'll be partnering with them."

Greenshine Solar street lights are an affordable and environmentally friendly way of lighting, compared to traditional electric lights. They use a solar panel and an engine to collect the energy.
The project was the brainchild of Heather Whitefield of Organic Matters, who will work with a crew of city teens who receive stipends to help fix up city parks and landscapes.
"Heather's amazing," Peelor said. "She works without compensation. Next week she's putting in sustainable grass that changes colors throughout the seasons."
Peelor estimates the project will be complete by the end of June.

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