Celebrate Frederick Law Olmsted, Rochester’s parks, & Arbor Day
2013 marks the 125th anniversary of the creation of the Rochester Parks Commission. The first Parks Commission hired Frederick Law Olmsted to design Rochester’s parks system. Because of the Parks Commission, Rochester boasts one of only four parks systems in the country designed by Olmsted. Olmsted’s creations include: Genesee Valley Park, Seneca Park, Highland Park, and the smaller Jones Square and Brown Square.
Join us for these events celebrating Rochester’s parks and commemorating this momentous anniversary:
- Thursday, April 25: FREE screening of Women in the Dirt: Landscape Architects Shaping Our World. 7 p.m. at The Little Theater (Theater 5). Presented by the American Society of Landscape Architects, Upstate Chapter, Parkitects, Inc., and Broccolo Tree & Lawn Care.
- Friday, April 26: City of Rochester’s Arbor Day Tree Planting Celebration. The City of Rochester will mark the 30th annual Arbor Day, the 125th anniversary of the Rochester Parks Commission and the birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted. Jones Square Park – 170 Saratoga Ave. 11 a.m.
Ellwanger Garden open to the public
Spring has sprung and the historic Ellwanger Garden on Mt. Hope Avenue is beginning to bloom again. The garden will be open to the public during Lilac Festival and Peony Weekend. Stop by and enjoy the garden at its most colorful time of year!
Lilac Festival | May 10-19 | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Free admission, donations accepted.
Peony Weekend | June 1 and 2 | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Free admission, donations accepted.
The Garden is located at 625 Mt. Hope Avenue, Rochester. Follow signs for parking.
If you would like to volunteer as an Ellwanger Garden Host during the Lilac Festival please contact Cindy Boyer at cboyer@landmark.layer8group.com. Greet visitors, hand out brochures. No experience or special garden knowledge necessary, but you must be comfortable standing and working outside.
Preservation Conference in Brockport a success!
With nearly 200 building owners, municipal officials, and community activists in attendance, the 2013 Preservation Conference was a roaring success! Participants enjoyed a lively screening of the Courthouse Girls of Farmland (including a chance to meet the stars) on Friday night and a seemingly never-ending stream of passionate and articulate speakers on Saturday. We covered a wide range of preservation-related topics, including commercial and homeowner tax credits, engaging young professionals, and how to encourage walkable communities, all with an eye towards providing participants with tools and inspiration to help strengthen their communities.
A special thank you to all of the Conference participants, volunteers, speakers, sponsors, and our host community–the thriving village of Brockport! Stay tuned for exciting details on our 2014 Preservation Conference.