A view of the Stanley Park Rose Garden Fountain from the Carillon Tower. (Photo by Hope E. Tremblay)
WESTFIELD – Stanley Park is turning 70, and it looks great for its age.
To celebrate, the park’s annual fundraiser is in honor of its seven decades in the city. The event includes live and silent auctions, live music from Rock Duo and refreshments.
The “Birthday Party in the Park – Celebrating Our 70th” is Sept. 7, with proceeds benefiting the restoration of the Rose Garden Fountain. Reservations are required by Aug. 28.
“The Rose Garden Fountain is the centerpiece of the park,” said Stanley Park Board member Donna Herman.
The fountain, located at the center of the Stanley Park Rose & Flower Garden, is one of the most popular landmarks in the park and has served as the backdrop for countless engagement and wedding photos through the years. Surrounded by over 30 varieties of roses and several hundred rose bushes, as well as numerous annual and perennial gardens, the fountain has collected millions of wishes from its visitors since the park was founded.
To help visitors continue to enjoy this original and iconic feature of Stanley Park, the fountain must undergo some much-needed repairs, said Managing Director Robert McKean.
“As a private non-profit organization, Stanley Park relies on the generosity of our donors to support the Park’s upkeep and improvements such as those needed for the Rose Garden Fountain and our annual programming.” said McKean. “We have been very fortunate to have the past support of so many generous individuals and businesses in Westfield and the surrounding towns.”
The Stanley Park Rose Garden fountain was built in 1947, two years before the park was officially open. (Photo by Hope E. Tremblay)
McKean said the project will cost nearly $40,000. The fountain mechanism, which leaks, must be replaced and the concrete around the original rocks updated. McKean said the fountain was built in 1947, two years before the park was officially gifted by Frank Stanley Beveridge.
This annual fundraiser supports projects throughout the park, which keep it looking so well for 70. Last year’s proceeds helped with efforts to restore the tennis courts, which reopened last month. The live and silent auction items include numerous gift certificates to local businesses — such as restaurants and salons — signed sports memorabilia, a Veteran’s Memorial brick, Majestic Theater tickets, golf related items and more.
The upcoming Birthday in the Park celebration at Stanley Park will benefit the restoration of the iconic Rose Garden Fountain. (Photo by Hope E. Tremblay)
“Our fundraising committee, including Donna Herman, Linda Snider-Tryon, Mary O’Connell, Tom Fiske and Development Coordinator Hillary McEwan, are hard at work soliciting local area businesses for event sponsorships as well as donations for our live and silent auctions,” said Fundraising Committee Chair Kara Herman. “We are grateful for the support of sponsors such as The Beveridge Foundation, Westfield Bank, Baystate Noble Hospital, Westfield Gas and Electric, Westfield State University, Advance Manufacturing Co., Inc. and Air Compressor Engineering Co., Inc. and OMG, Inc. – just to name a few. It is our hope that the community will join us for this annual event and help us raise the funds needed to ensure all visitors continue to enjoy the Rose Garden Fountain.”
The Birthday Party will take place in the Beveridge Pavilion and includes refreshments by Log Rolling Catering. The party starts at 5 p.m. Board members say the success of the event relies on ticket sales, sponsorships and donated items for the live and silent auctions.
For more information about the event, including ways in which the community can offer support, contact Hillary McEwan at 413-568-9312, ext. 108 or email [email protected]. The deadline for sponsorships and donations is Aug. 23.
