Lewes parks and rec supports Stango Park plan

Lewes in Bloom’s concept for Stango Park – A Garden for All Ages – won unanimous support from the Lewes Parks and Recreation Commission special meeting Sept. 29.

Eric Wahl, a landscape architect at Element Design and member of Lewes in Bloom, developed a plan that would expand Stango Park's Children's Learning Garden across the railroad into the new piece of the park.

The positive recommendation to mayor and city council came after a presentation and public hearing Sept. 19, where city residents were encouraged to present ideas for the 1-acre open space behind the new Lewes Public Library. Three-quarters of an acre belongs to the city, while the remaining quarter is the responsibility of the library.

The plan includes a new children's learning garden, small stage, community gathering area, labyrinth and several smaller gardens.

The learning garden would feature raised beds with herbs and vegetables. The existing learning garden in the original Stango Park section would remain and feature fruit trees and shrubs. Next to the learning garden would be a grill area for cooking demos to teach children how to cook with herbs and vegetables from the garden.

Behind the learning garden would be a stage that Wahl envisions as a place for teaching, with an outdoor blackboard and possibly a natural amphitheater.

In another section of the park, a path would take people through several smaller gardens, including native, pollinator, sensory, reading and fairy gardens.

Warren Golden, Parks and Rec commissioner and Lewes in Bloom founder, said he anticipates the project would cost $250,000. Golde said Lewes in Bloom plans to seek grants, and he's already talked to Mike Rawl at the Greater Lewes Foundation.

“[Mike] is confident Lewes in Bloom can raise the necessary funds by selling naming rights to the various gardens and structures … and by local fundraising,” Golde said. “Lewes in Bloom has built up a tremendous amount of goodwill in its 15-year history but has never found it necessary to do a community-wide mass appeal. This is one possibility we are considering.”

Golde said Lewes in Bloom will ask that the city pay for water, electricity and grass cutting.

He expects the project to be complete within three years should the plan receive council approval.

At the Sept. 19 hearing, some residents said the 1-acre section had been promised to be a meadow. After researching the claim, Parks and Rec Chair Alison Kirk said the meadow plan was never set in stone, but more of a suggestion for possible future use.

Nearby resident William Spencer said something should be done to beautify the parcel.

“That entrance to Lewes has deteriorated in its view, except in the presence of the library, which is now the predominant characteristic at the entrance of historic Lewes,” he said, noting that it was his understanding the area was to be planted with trees following the completion of the library. “We've had deforestation along the railroad line. They may not have been the prettiest trees, but they haven't been replaced, and that's a concern.”

Resident Harry Keyser suggested the plan incorporate few water-hungry plants. Other than that, he said, he loved the plan.

“I like the idea of incorporating more things for children,” he said. “There's a lot of grandparents who live in this community who have grandchildren visit.”