Arboretum Club Seeks Community Support

This press release was provided by Spring-Ford Area School District. 

Restoration work on the Ninth-Grade Center arboretum is under way and the school’s Arboretum Club is seeking community sponsors to help financially assist in its completion.

The Spring-Ford Memorial Arboretum, located behind the Ninth-Grade Center, was constructed in the 1970s in memory of district alumni and community residents. The arboretum fell into disrepair in the 1990s, but the Spring-Ford Area School Board, the Western Montgomery Career and Technology Center students and volunteers wanted to see that change, so a plan was developed to restore and enhance the garden space.

The project is designed by Western Center students, and all construction work — which is slated to begin early this fall — will be completed by students from the technical school. Students were enlisted to complete the project to help offset the cost to the district and provide students with valuable career skills.

The plans for the project update the arboretum and make it more visually appealing to the public. Additionally, the revised plans allow for different classes, such mathematics, English, photography, science, to easily utilize the space. The arboretum’s new design features more benches, additional trees and plantings, a patio and deck, a pondless stream and motion activated lighting. The design ensures that all parts of the 265- by 100-foot garden, which is more than half the area of a football field, are visible to instructors.

The arboretum will also be open to the Spring-Ford community, civic groups and other organizations that are interested in using the space.

“Undertaking this project is important because we are restoring such a meaningful, lasting tribute to students, staff and Spring-Ford residents,” Spring-Ford community member and arboretum volunteer Gail Wellington explained.

The group spearheading the restoration efforts is collecting donations to fund the entire project, so it can minimize the expense to the district. In the spring, the school board provided the Arboretum Club with up to $30,000 less donations, so it could begin its rejuvenation efforts immediately.

Information on how you can support the project is listed below:

Donations can be mailed to:

Arboretum Fund
Spring Ford Education Foundation
857 S. Lewis Road
Royersford, PA 19468-2711

All donations are tax deductible and should be made to the Spring-Ford Education Foundation.

Donations made to the project will be acknowledged with a certificate of appreciation, and donations of $100 or more will be memorialized on a sign displayed in the arboretum commensurate with the donation amount.

All restoration work is expected to be completed in time for the 2013-14 school year.

For more information on how to donate, contact the district’s business office at 610-705-6204. Additional information on the project can be found at www.facebook.com/sfsdArboretum.