Print
E-mail
Rate
Downtown garden takes shape
By Cindy Iutzi/Gate City Staff Writer
WARSAW, Ill. - Hard on the heels of last year's successful garden beautification project in downtown Warsaw, Ill., another ambitious effort is taking shape in another part of town.
The Warsaw Library Board is spearheading the development of a community memorial garden on the property behind the library at Webster and 10th streets.
Mayor Robert Frank said Wednesday the library board has donated $7,500 and the Warsaw Township Board has given $2,500 to help with concrete work.
“It's going to be a pretty big walking area,” Frank said to city council members, referring to an architect's drawing of the proposed garden. “Look at this and think about whether you can donate time, money, concrete or whatever.”
The city council will discuss the city's contribution at the March meeting. Frank estimates the area of the garden at about half a city block.
Patty Lomax remembers when the garden idea first came to mind. She runs Crystal City Creations hairdressing in Warsaw, serves on the library board and is township trustee.
It all started when Lomax was at the library considering where to have a memorial bench placed in honor of her late mother, Joy Barber. She found herself gravitating to the property in back of the building.
“What are you going to do with this?” she asked board members. “They said, ‘Mow it.' I said, ‘Mow it? Why don't you have a memorial garden?'”
Lomax made a sketch of the garden and took it to the library board. The board asked her to become a member about six months ago and adopted her idea.
Additional community interest motivated the board to have the sketch made into a formal plan by Klingler Associates of Quincy, Ill. Fund-raising is under way, with $10,000 of the estimated $119,000 cost already in hand.
“We're planning on involving volunteers from the community, Don Bumphrey's class (FFA), the Girl Scouts and the Boy Scouts,” Lomax said. “We have a person in Warsaw who is in the Master Gardener's Class in Macomb, and is trying to see if this project could be used for their community volunteer hours requirement. That would be great.”
Plans include stained, etched concrete stone-pattern paths throughout the garden that will be formed and poured by volunteers early this spring.
People who are experienced in forming and pouring concrete and would like to volunteer are asked to call Lomax at 217-256-4460 or the library at 256-3417.
“Donations can be time, money or ornamental grasses or perennials that you already have and would like to thin out, a tree, a flowering shrub or roses,” Lomax said. “Also, in memory of your special loved ones you could donated an entry archway, benches, birdhouses, stones, stone furniture, light posts, lighting, arbors, gazebos, water fountains and statues.”
The Rev. Paul Beisel, who heads the library board, said the board is behind the memorial project.
“We want to do something to beautify the area, something the community can enjoy and benefit from and take ownership in,” Beisel said this morning. “We want to have as much community involvement as we can. Initially we want to get the concrete paths laid. This spring is going to be a busy time.”
The new library building, funded by a $1million bequest by longtime Warsaw resident Leon Lamet, was dedicated in July 2006.
Barber was Lamet's legal secretary, a book lover, former owner of Joy's Cafe in Warsaw, township secretary and city treasurer.
The Warsaw Library Board is spearheading the development of a community memorial garden on the property behind the library at Webster and 10th streets.
Mayor Robert Frank said Wednesday the library board has donated $7,500 and the Warsaw Township Board has given $2,500 to help with concrete work.
“It's going to be a pretty big walking area,” Frank said to city council members, referring to an architect's drawing of the proposed garden. “Look at this and think about whether you can donate time, money, concrete or whatever.”
The city council will discuss the city's contribution at the March meeting. Frank estimates the area of the garden at about half a city block.
Patty Lomax remembers when the garden idea first came to mind. She runs Crystal City Creations hairdressing in Warsaw, serves on the library board and is township trustee.
ADVERTISEMENT |
“What are you going to do with this?” she asked board members. “They said, ‘Mow it.' I said, ‘Mow it? Why don't you have a memorial garden?'”
Lomax made a sketch of the garden and took it to the library board. The board asked her to become a member about six months ago and adopted her idea.
Additional community interest motivated the board to have the sketch made into a formal plan by Klingler Associates of Quincy, Ill. Fund-raising is under way, with $10,000 of the estimated $119,000 cost already in hand.
“We're planning on involving volunteers from the community, Don Bumphrey's class (FFA), the Girl Scouts and the Boy Scouts,” Lomax said. “We have a person in Warsaw who is in the Master Gardener's Class in Macomb, and is trying to see if this project could be used for their community volunteer hours requirement. That would be great.”
Plans include stained, etched concrete stone-pattern paths throughout the garden that will be formed and poured by volunteers early this spring.
People who are experienced in forming and pouring concrete and would like to volunteer are asked to call Lomax at 217-256-4460 or the library at 256-3417.
“Donations can be time, money or ornamental grasses or perennials that you already have and would like to thin out, a tree, a flowering shrub or roses,” Lomax said. “Also, in memory of your special loved ones you could donated an entry archway, benches, birdhouses, stones, stone furniture, light posts, lighting, arbors, gazebos, water fountains and statues.”
The Rev. Paul Beisel, who heads the library board, said the board is behind the memorial project.
“We want to do something to beautify the area, something the community can enjoy and benefit from and take ownership in,” Beisel said this morning. “We want to have as much community involvement as we can. Initially we want to get the concrete paths laid. This spring is going to be a busy time.”
The new library building, funded by a $1million bequest by longtime Warsaw resident Leon Lamet, was dedicated in July 2006.
Barber was Lamet's legal secretary, a book lover, former owner of Joy's Cafe in Warsaw, township secretary and city treasurer.
 |
 |
|
| Ramaker to run for state rep. seat | Around the Tri-State Area this weekend |
