Jamestown (Courtesy of Jmst Chamber) – Jamestown’s Sensory Garden Taskforce is planning a spring installation of a new seating area near the sensory garden’s water feature.  Currently, the water feature’s seating area is in the sensory garden, at the end of the boardwalk.

Paulette Ritter, Co-chair of the Chamber of Commerce’s Beautification Committee,  says, “With the construction of the water feature, we realized we needed a seating area on the west side of the water feature.”  Paulette is one of the members of the Sensory Garden’s taskforce.

The news release goes on the say, hearing the soft sound of the water falling, we thought three new benches directly off the main walking path would be a nice addition to the garden.   We turned to the Jamestown Vo-tech Center for the construction of these three benches as over the years students from these classes designed and built the first five benches and the 32 planters in the garden.  A few years ago, Bob Thoresen, the Vo-tech Center instructor, even brought his students over to the garden so that they could do some repair work on the two bridges that lead into the garden.”

Doug Hogan, Jamestown Park and Recreation Director, adds, “Having these new benches directly off the main walking path will give Solien-Denault park walkers a great place to rest and enjoy the new water feature.  We have received so many compliments about the sensory garden.  It is exciting to see it expand once again.”

Bob Martin, Co-chair of the Chamber of Commerce’s Beautification Committee, says, “We are extremely grateful to Mr. Thoresen for all of his help and support these past years.    “Mr. Thoresen has helped make this garden a community collaboration.  The benches are built and ready for a spring installation.  Now, we just need spring to come and stay.”

Picture with this press release:

Jamestown Vo-tech Center students Andrew Steinmetz (main builder) and Tamika Holte stand by one of the newly built benches for the Sensory Garden.  Both are students in Bob Thoresen’s class that built these benches.