A memorial garden that was gravely damaged by the 2009 ice storm is getting a new location and new plantings.  The groundbreaking for the Children’s Memorial Garden will be Thursday, June 7 at 10:00 a.m. on the east side of Noble Park next to the tennis courts.  The garden previously was next to the amphitheater.

Carolyn Roof who is coordinating the project says, “The location near the tennis courts meets all of the tree requirements: shade, water source, and room for expansion.  It will be a beautiful place to meditate or just relax.”

The Civic Beautification Board created the Children’s Memorial in 1996 by planting 19 white flowering dogwoods in memory of the 19 children killed in the Oklahoma City bombings.  Over the years and especially after the ice storm, 18 of the dogwoods died.

The new memorial will have 19 different types of dogwoods that will bloom from early spring through May.  Each tree variety will be labeled.  Plus, there will be an educational component to the memorial showing which dogwoods grow best in the Paducah area.  Each member of the memorial committee has a specific duty for which he or she is uniquely qualified.  Job duties include researching and obtaining the trees and understory shrubs; designing the layout; preparing the location; and fundraising.

To replace the trees and restore the memorial which will cost approximately $4000, the Open Gate Garden Club, a 501(c)(3) organization, applied for and received a National Garden Clubs-Natural Disaster Grant in the amount of $1,050.  The Garden Clubs of Noble Park, the Civic Beautification Board, and La Petite Garden Club have contributed funds toward the purchase of new dogwoods and shrubs.  Several individuals also have contributed funds to support this project.