Over 40 Lewis River Rotary Club members, their friends and family members installed a brick paver walkway around the rose garden in Battle Ground’s Central Park on Saturday, June 3.
The club adopted the park in 2020 and has worked year-round to clean the flower beds, edge, spread bark dust, plant flowers and shrubs, prune trees, and improve the rose garden that honors Battle Ground’s Citizens of the Year since the program’s inception.
Last year, new roses were planted and name placards identifying each year’s honoree were installed. The club also repaired the sprinkler system in the park to ensure plants are properly hydrated as many roses died from a lack of water and care, stated a news release from the club.
The Lewis River Rotary Club’s chair of Central Park’s adoption project, Mike Robinson, died two days before the group gathered to finish this stage of the park improvement project. His widow, brother-in-law from Hawaii, and two sons actively participated in Saturday’s work project in honor of Robinson.
“Mike was a vital part of our club and always showed what it was to be a Rotarian — service above self,” club president Kelly Muscarella-Park stated in the release. “With Mike’s vision and dedication, Central Park went from a little outdated and rundown place to an amazing place to spend time. We encourage everyone to stop by and look at all the improvements.”
Future plans include the addition of more picnic tables and a gazebo to allow for outdoor concerts and other events. Plans for the gazebo design are underway, stated the release.
