News Release from: Portland Parks & Recreation
PUBLIC CELEBRATION AS PORTLAND MEMORY GARDEN CELEBRATES A DECADE OF ACHIEVEMENT: PORTLAND PARKS & RECREATION ALSO OPENS NEWEST COMMUNITY GARDEN
Posted: May 25th, 2012 1:57 PM
Photo/sound file: http://www.flashalertnewswire.net/images/news/2012-05/1399/54721/Portland_Memory_Garden_405%2B3.jpg (Photo: Portland Memory Garden. Courtesy: Portland Parks & Recreation, Portland, OR)
For Immediate Release
(Portland, OR) -
The Portland Memory Garden (corner of SE 104th and SE Bush) will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a free Founders Day celebration on Sunday, June 3.
Also on Sunday, June 3, Portland's newest community garden, Ed Benedict Community Garden, will be dedicated at the same location.
WHAT: Celebration for Portland Memory Garden's 10th Anniversary/Founders Day and Grand Opening of Ed Benedict Community Garden
WHEN: Sunday, June 3, 12pm-4pm
WHERE: SE 104th & SE Bush
FREE for all
Portland Parks & Recreation and the Friends of the Portland Memory Garden will host a celebratory open house for the unique Memory Garden. We will also dedicate the city's newest community garden, Ed Benedict Community Garden.
Ed Benedict Community Garden, also located at SE 104th Ave & Bush, will be the 44th in a network of gardens managed by the City.
Construction was funded by grants from Portland Development Commission and East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District.
Join us for the ribbon cutting of the new community garden, meet representatives from Portland Community Gardens, Portland Parks & Recreation, Friends of the Memory Garden, Portland Memory Garden Founders, and the Board of Directors.
Enjoy anniversary cake and refreshments, live music, garden tours, door prizes, and nature crafting.
About The Portland Memory Garden
Located off SE Powell at 104th Avenue in Ed Benedict Park, the Portland Memory Garden was designed to meet the special needs of those with memory disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and to provide respite for their caregivers. The garden was dedicated in May 2002 and is one of eight "memory gardens" in the U.S., and one of only two built on public land. Last year the Portland Memory Garden was chosen as the recipient of the annual Therapeutic Garden Design Award sponsored by the American Horticultural Therapy Association.
The Friends of the Portland Memory Garden is a nonprofit organization that, in partnership with Portland Parks and Recreation and the generous help of volunteers, maintains the garden. The Friends also sponsors regular activities led by registered horticultural therapists and designed to serve those with memory disorders and their caregivers.
"We hope that whether you're a casual parkgoer, a designer, a healthcare provider, or an advocate, that you can be inspired by the Memory Garden's ability to calm, heal, and be a positive element of people's lives," says Portland Parks & Recreation Director Mike Abbaté.
"I can think of no other city where the support of such a special project is as strong as here in Portland. It's one of the reasons why Portland Parks & Recreation earned the 2011 National Gold Medal for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management, the industry's top honor."
About Portland Community Gardens
Ed Benedict Community Garden becomes the 44th community garden in Portland!
PP&R opened Clarendon Community Garden in March, Frazer Community Garden in April, and Errol Heights Community Garden in May. June brings even more celebrations at the Ed Benedict, Grant, and Kenton community gardens.
These gardens will add 258 new plots for Portlanders waiting to grow their own food this season!
We also expect to open a new garden in Thomas Cully Park and Helensview School this summer, and will continue to provide community partners with support as they expand and grow.
Portland Community Gardens have plots available now: sign up at http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/index.cfm?c=39846 for open spaces at:
Clarendon Community Garden
Errol Heights Community Garden
McCoy Community Garden
Pier Community Garden
Portsmouth Community Garden
1000 Gardens Initiative
Through our Community Garden Initiative, the City is working with partners to reach our Climate Action goal of 1,000 new garden plots by the end of 2012.
In 2009, Commissioner Nick Fish launched the "1,000 Gardens" Initiative to help meet the demand for places to grow food. The City's Community Garden team is currently working with dozens of community partners to reach our Climate Action goal of 1,000 new garden plots by the end of 2012.
For more info:http://www.portlandonline.com/fish/index.cfm?c=53380
For more information, call 503-823-5300 or visit portlandparks.org.
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Mark Ross Public Information Officer
Portland Parks & Recreation
503-823-5300 (office); 503-823-6634 (cell)
Mark.ross@portlandoregon.gov
Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland
portlandparks.org
Nick Fish, Commissioner | Mike Abbaté, Director
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