Left to right: Steve Stombler, Linda Parsons, Paul Parsons, Bill Larson, Amanda Larson, Emily Griswold, Kerry Daane Loux

The newly installed rose arbors were designed by Kerry Daane Loux, a trained landscape architect, who volunteered her time to help us complete the final element of the long planned design for Central Park Gardens. Kerry had the innovative idea to use cut metal panels on each side for their beauty and safety –she was careful to consider the size of the tiny fingers that might just want to climb the arbors!  The Central Park Gardens Steering Committee agreed that the ideal artist to fabricate Kerry’s design concept was Amanda Larson.  Amanda worked as an apprentice with Donna Billick and is a certified welder.  Both technically accomplished and a gifted artist, Amanda created the beautiful twining rose design for the cut metal panels. Her many skills were required to fabricate our beautiful rose arbors. There was even a special bonus - her father, Bill Larson, is a structural engineer who did the engineering for the footings of the arbor to make sure it would meet building codes.  Local landscape contractor Steve Stombler prepared the massive footings and worked with Amanda to install the arbors.

Ten years ago, the Central Park Gardens Steering Committee submitted a master plan to the City Council for the renovation of gardens, and the arbors were the last piece of that plan. The arbors were made possible by a very generous donation from long-time garden volunteers Linda and Paul Parsons and were unveiled in spring 2017 at the ten-year anniversary celebration.