The Peace Garden Is Blooming!

by Frank Panzarella, volunteer at the Peace Garden

Great progress is being made in the West River neighborhood of New Haven in restoring the Peace Garden. Gladiolas, Echinacea, roses, butterfly flowers, flowering bushes, milkweed and more now adorn the site and new mulch is currently being spread to keep down the stubborn weeds.

All this requires many volunteers to weed, water and distribute the mulch. The Peace Garden sits at a gateway crossroad for New Haven and will be adjacent to a new housing construction project in the West River neighborhood.

Our thanks to members of the Peace Commission, URI, the West River Watershed Coalition, and residents of the West River neighborhood for their ongoing work at the garden.

We want to see this garden become a jewel in the revival of New Haven attractions and a portrait of our values in promoting world peace and peace within our own city. We are currently looking for ideas from the community as to what they would like to see in improving the layout of the garden.

Included in this garden is a significant donation from the City of Hiroshima: a Ginkgo tree taken from a cutting of a tree that survived the destruction of Hiroshima — a symbol of the tenacity of life.

We need your help to restore the beauty of this garden. Please come and volunteer to work. We meet every Friday from 9:30 to noon. The garden is located at the end of the Route 34 connector between Martin Luther King Boulevard and Legion Avenue, where they meet Ella Grasso Boulevard. For more information call 203-562-2798 or email [email protected].

International Day of Peace, Building Blocks for Peace, 1-6 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016, at the United Nations Peace Garden in West River

International Day of Peace, Building Blocks for Peace, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016, at the United Nations Peace Garden in West River

International Day of Peace, Building Blocks for Peace, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016, at the United Nations Peace Garden in West River

International Day of Peace Celebration

Sunday, Sept. 18, the West River Neighborhood Services Corporation will host the eleventh United Nations Inter-national Day of Peace Celebration at the Peace Garden located at the intersection of Ella T. Grass Boulevard and Legion Avenue from 12:30 to 6 p.m.

The event starts at 12:30 p.m. with the planting of a Ginkgo sapling that survived the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima in the Peace Garden. This is a gift from the Japanese government to the City of New Haven Peace Commission.

Music will be provided by the Christian Sons Gospel group, Nfinity Mzk, Professor B. & Army of Love featuring Papa Biggie Reggae, and the Veronica Douglas Group. There will be meditation taught by the Art of Living, free ice cream, fruit, beef hot dogs, refreshments and children’s activities. There will also be information tables from various New Haven organizations and businesses.

For more information, contact Stacy Spell at (203) 777-2192 or [email protected].
In case of rain, the event will be held Sunday, Sept. 25.