In the year 2025, cities and towns across the country will be planning and executing some fairly audacious infrastructure projects. The State of New York plans to expand the Hudson Tunnel along the northeast corridor; Interstate 5 along the West Coast will undergo its own expansion, and projects like the California High-Speed Rail will begin production in earnest.
And in Ben Lomond, all they want are sidewalks.
The conversation around infrastructure improvements was just one of the topics discussed at the newly-formed Ben Lomond Village Alliance’s (BLVA) meeting on Jan. 25. Nearly 100 people packed Park Hall to hear from the fresh-faced nonprofit leadership and committee chairs as they shared their visions of a revitalized downtown area.
The BLVA concept was initially spearheaded by local realtor and historian Ronnie Trubek, who is now a member of the group; its first information-gathering meeting was in April 2024.
BLVA is now led by a small but mighty board of three: President and Co-Founder Heidi Castagna; Executive Director and Co-Founder Blake Holiday; and Ariel Young, secretary of the group and point person for the fledgling Supper Club, just one of the initiatives the group is hoping to bring to fruition.
Castagna implored attendees to become involved in whatever direction their passions pointed them, and invited various committee leads to come forward and share their vision for the BLVA.
Sarah Jansen-Mount, who heads up the events committee and was instrumental in planning the Holiday Tree Lighting Party at the Ben Lomond Fire Department in December, spoke about the potential for more community-driven gatherings. Other committee leaders invited attendees to assist with better streets, town beautification and overall health and happiness.
Holiday led the pack in a discussion around creating a public farmers market at the Wee Kirk Church and promoting more public art installations around the town. With decades of prior experience in nonprofit management, Holiday seems to be the perfect yin to Castagna’s yang.
“There are opportunities and resources out there for us to achieve our goals,” Holiday said. “We just need to start asking for help.”
Castagna noted that she works full-time over the hill and still finds time to participate in the Alliance, and invited those in attendance to consider what time and resources they could contribute to the effort.
Ideas that were pitched included continued cleanup of the Ben Lomond County Park on Mill Street, installation of more native plants around the Scarborough Home Center on Highway 9, and a grant-writing effort to construct two new sidewalks off of the main strip—one leading up Glen Arbor past Riverside Drive, and the other running alongside Scarborough.
“We want to create pathways for local neighbors to walk into town and enjoy all that Ben Lomond has to offer,” Castagna said.
When asked if newly-elected Fifth District Supervisor Monica Martinez had been summoned to support the group, Castagna noted that she had been contacted in the burgeoning days of the BLVA’s creation, but the group hadn’t met with her yet.
While the Alliance’s main goals are to foster collaborative and volunteer-led projects and events that enhance the greater Village infrastructure, preserve the town’s historical heritage and provide a thriving environment for the Ben Lomond community, none of the objectives can be met without funding and community volunteers. Whether offering to open one’s home or garden for a small dinner party, participating in beautification efforts or attending local events, Castagna and her crew provided a multitude of opportunities for community involvement.
“We have such a wonderful community with so much to offer,” explained Castagna. “We want to see our Village thrive, and we welcome all of our neighbors to join us.”
Those interested in offering up their time, treasure or talent to support the initiatives of the Ben Lomond Village Alliance can visit benlomondvillage.org, or send an email to se*******@be**************.org.
