Stonington — The town’s newly formed Beautification Committee, in conjunction with the town highway department and the businessman now leasing the space, has completed its first project — improving the landscaping at the Mystic train station.

Trees were trimmed, overgrown shrubs and trash were removed from the landscaping island, dirt regraded and mulch added.

“This location is important because it's the first stop for a lot of people when they arrive in the tourist district,” said committee Vice Chairman Dan Oliverio, who was one of two town highway department employees working on the project last week.

The committee is an outgrowth of the work that Oliverio and Chairwoman Julie Holland have done over the past several years to clean up school grounds with volunteers.

The committee’s first project at the train station came together quickly after members discussed it at a recent meeting that was attended by Selectwoman Kate Rotella.

The full Board of Selectmen then supported the work.

Holland said the project is an example of the collaborative effort that the committee will undertake with its projects.

But she stressed the committee is in the very beginning stages of its work.

She said it will be developing a strategic plan and a list of possible areas of town that need attention with the assistance of Director of Planning Jason Vincent.

“Some areas of town have been fixed up but others have been overlooked,” Oliverio said.

“We want people driving through the Town of Stonington, to say ‘look how they take care of their sidewalks, their planters,’” Holland said. “We want people to have pride in their community.”

She added that committee members hope “we can really do some good for the Town of Stonington. We’re ready to collaborate with everyone to make sure that happens. Some things will be easy to do and some things we’ll have to look for grants to do or do some fundraising."

The committee hopes to work with the town, businesses, neighborhoods and organizations such as the Mystic Garden Club.

Holland said the committee will work on projects in all areas of town.

“We want equality. If we do something for Mystic, we’ll do something for Pawcatuck,” she said.

Holland said that while she and Oliverio worked on school cleanups, they felt they needed a platform to expand their work, something which can be done with members of a committee.

The selectmen supported the formation of the committee.

“I think a lot of people see things that need to be improved and maybe this committee will help them do that,” Holland said.

The committee next meets at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Human Services Building.

j.wojtas@theday.com