Update on the WPA Rock Garden Pond Renovation BY Rise Ryan
Have you been to visit the Rock Garden behind Fairytale Town lately? You might be pleasantly surprised at what is emerging! Thanks to a generous gift to the Land Park Community Association from Vic’s Ice Cream former owner, Craig Rutledge, and additional funds from the Sacramento Perennial Plant Club, a “Resting Oasis” is rising out of the overgrown debris and mud. The garden, originally built in 1940 as part of the Works Progress Administration under Roosevelt, was originally designed with 3 inlet stream beds which meandered alongside, under and through the winding pathways and into a small pond. One outlet streambed then led through the lower end of the park, into a small holding pond and eventually draining into the larger peace pond. The park is historically designated, but challenges with city funding and reduced staff to care for the park sufficiently, the rains, overgrowth and foot traffic eventually obscured the defined waterways and they became filled with debris. The pond became indistinguishable.
Thanks to help from Councilman Jenning’s office and the guidance from the city’s Park Landscape Architect, Planning, Preservation and Maintenance teams, and a hearty group of volunteers, the garden is beginning to return to its charm and history. Streambeds are cleared, pond is waterproofed and edges stabilized in the original footprint and 2 viewing benches have been built, rising out of the ground as if they had been there from the beginning. The passionate craftmanship of the workers and dedication of all involved is heartening. The square bed in the middle of the pond will soon be planted along with the surrounding beds.
How appropriate that the pond and stream renovation would coincide with the opening of the new Vic’s Ice cream! Keep watching in January!