CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio — If you walked through the historic downtown district this weekend, you might have noticed a small army of volunteers armed with weed eaters, brooms, and trash bags.
A collaborative cleanup effort brought together local business owners, the county probation department, and recovery program participants to revitalize the downtown streets and restore pride to the heart of the community.
An ‘Epiphany’ Sparked by a Facebook Post
The annual cleanup initiative is the brainchild of Jason Stone, owner of JC Stone Landscaping. The idea struck him a few years ago after reading a social media post by retired Detective Clark.
“He had made a Facebook post of Chase Bank… about the mess out there, and how the parking lot sidewalks had been overgrown, the hardscapes that the city put in had weeds growing through them,” Stone recalled.
Recognizing that his business possessed the perfect resources to tackle the problem, Stone had an epiphany. “We have a landscape company, we have able-bodied guys and gals that can pull weeds and clean up,” he said. “We ought to volunteer our time at least a couple times a year… and pull the weeds, clean up the downtown district, blow off the sidewalks, pick up trash.”
The effort officially began four years ago as a joint project with Toodles in Uptown Circleville. Seeking to expand the cleanup workforce the following year, Stone reached out to Cort Wolf at the local probation department, realizing it was a perfect win-win situation for individuals needing to fulfill community service obligations.
A Growing Coalition for Recovery and Renewal
Now in its fourth year, the initiative has grown into a powerful community coalition. This year, the program officially welcomed Hope Valley, an organization that supports individuals navigating recovery.
While some individuals associated with Hope Valley participated last year due to their probation status, this year marks their formal, organized integration into the cleanup crew. Participants in Phase 3 of Hope Valley’s recovery program joined forces with probationers and professional landscapers.
Today’s efforts saw a robust turnout. “We’ve had a couple groups,” Stone said. “Probation had a group this morning, and Hope Valley brought us a group, and then we brought our own workers from JC Stone Landscaping, too. We’ve got 15 people out here, at least.”
Restoring Pumpkin Show Park
While the crews worked to clear various downtown sidewalks and hardscapes, the primary target for this trip was a central community landmark: Pumpkin Show Park.
Despite being a beautiful and heavily invested-in public space, the park had fallen into disrepair. Volunteers tackled overgrown weeds, accumulated trash, and discarded cigarette butts to restore the park to its proper condition.
Preserving the Small-Town Charm
For Stone, the hours of volunteered labor and coordination are entirely worth it to protect Circleville’s unique identity, especially as commercial development continues to expand nearby.
“Our little city is precious. There’s not many of these left,” Stone emphasized, pointing out the rapid growth along Route 23. “Everything’s turning into the big city… we need to really appreciate it, and keep it in good shape, keep it clean, keep people liking this place, wanting to come here.”
With new businesses moving into the historic district and ongoing building renovations, Stone believes the public spaces should match that momentum. “We have a really cool downtown district… and it looks really good. The streets should look the same way.”
