Called "Garden of Reflection" by its planners, this section of Iditapark will feature low hills surrounding a small sitting area with flowering trees, evergreens, flower beds, and possibly a fountain or other water feature. The idea for the garden came from a local support group for people in mourning called Compassionate Friends. Some members of the group are from families who chose cremation instead of burial for family members who have died.
But the idea is not to build a monument, the garden planners say; it's not going to be a place for ceremonies or statues, but a place for recollection and contemplation.
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Hale's son, Chris, died from an undiagnosed heart condition at the age of 21 while snowmachining at Hatcher Pass. The Hales decided against burial for their son. Chris's ashes were spread in two ceremonies; one on the Willow side of Hatcher Pass, and the other on Bristol Bay where Chris worked as a commercial fisherman.
After Chris's death, Wendy Hale was introduced to Compassionate Friends. This spring some members of Compassionate Friends approached the city with the Garden of Reflection idea as an addition to Iditapark.
Kelly Marre of Compassionate Friends said the group chose Iditapark because of it's central location -- they want the garden to be available to everyone.
"I wanted it to be somewhere everybody could use it, not where you would have to drive to the end of a neighborhood and find some hidden cove," Marre said. Marre's son, Logan, died at the age of 11 in 1998 in a Seattle hospital, two years after being diagnosed with lymphocytic leukemia.
Compassionate Friends meets every Thursday evening at Trinity Lutheran Church on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway. The group was formed by parents who had lost children, but Marre wants the garden to serve anyone who needs a place for contemplation and said she would like anyone interested to become involved in the project.
"We don't want this to be an exclusive club," Marre said.
Marre also doesn't think the garden should be used exclusively for mourning. The intention is to design a garden where one person might think about family and another person might sit and read poetry or a novel.
The Garden of Reflection might be seen as sort of counterpoint to Iditapark's other features, most of which are designed for more physical activities. The park has been evolving for a number of years since the Wasilla airport was relocated in the early 1990s. There are now basketball and tennis courts, a BMX track, a skate park and an outdoor amphitheater that becomes a sledding hill every spring.
Last year public works officials guessed that Iditapark had about $400,000 in amenities before the amphitheater was built -- one reason that number was a guess was because of the sheer number of volunteers who have pitched in with labor and donations for the park.
Marre said she's sure that volunteers will show to help build the garden. She's also put together a fund drive for trees and shrubs for the project.
"If we can raise $9,000, that would make me very happy," Marre said.
Mayor Sarah Palin has written a letter of support for the project that solicits donations and pledges up to $5,000 in city funds to match private donations.
The city is also funding a design for the garden according to Palin's letter.
The garden will be located on Iditapark's west end near the BMX and skate parks and the "Path to Freedom," an armed forces honor garden. Incidentally, the armed forces honor garden will have a dedication ceremony on Independence Day.
Construction on the Garden of Reflection is scheduled to start in 2003. There is a special account for the project in the city budget called the City of Wasilla Garden of Reflection Fund.
People interested in contributing to the fund or participating in any way can contact the Wasilla public works at 373-9095.
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