Last Sunday, May 26, a Founders' Tree wall sculpture was unveiled, inscribed with more than 100 names of the Sunshine Coast Botanical Garden's founders.
Both those who have made significant donations and those whose early planning and continuing volunteer work laid the foundation were honoured at the celebration.
The Botanical Garden Society was formed in 2002, and purchased 16 hectares of agricultural land in Sechelt in 2009. Since then the Garden is becoming a community treasure, a source of beauty and a centre for learning about the interdependence of plants and animals. Thousands of visitors come to the Garden each year, which is now open daily.
Major funding from the federal and provincial government during the 2008/09 economic downturn enabled such ground work as fencing, roads, parking and a new multipurpose building in 2009/10. At that time the Garden embarked on a five-year Grow the Garden campaign to kick-start the creation.
In October 2010, with a significant donation from the Sparling family, the Sparling Pavilion opened. It is now used for educational Garden events and rented for such purposes as weddings, business meetings and private functions.
"Thanks to the vision of those early advocates and the generosity of all our donors, the Garden is now a place for tourists to visit, a place for all of us to learn and a place simply to enjoy," said fundraising chair Lynne Bogardus. "We are so grateful to our funders, both public and private, who recognize the importance of this project to the Coast."
Artist Peter Forbes of Barrel Carving of North Vancouver carved the sculpture.
To view the sculpture, visit the Garden and read the inscriptions. Until 2014, additional names will be added of donors whose total donations amount to $1,000 or more. A variety of sponsorships are available, from buy-a-brick, adopt-a-bench or adopt-a-tree. Visit www.coastbotanicalgarden.org or call the Garden office at 64-740-3969 for details.
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