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Nancy L. Derrig
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Today we invite you to step off with us on a grand adventure - an adventure of beauty and education in a setting unlike any other you may have visited. The Roger Williams Park Botanical Gardens is easily one of the most exciting projects the Park has ever undertaken. It is an important project for many reasons: it will have a positive effect on horticulture, education, the environment, tourism and economic development for our City, State, and region. We expect tourists to be a large percentage of our visitors. Gardeners are enthusiastic travelers, and our Gardens will attract tourists from all over New England and beyond. Botanical Gardens across the United States are enjoying sustained growth in attendance with the resulting plus for the economy (our café and gift shop will also benefit!) Environmental education takes place over a lifetime of learning. Whether an experienced horticulturist or urban neighborhood students, teaching appreciation and stewardship of the earth is among the most important lessons the Gardens can teach. Our Botanical Gardens will be a "Green Complex" and will be designed, built, and operated with water and energy conservation as essential ingredients. Economic Development is important to the well-being of every community. Our Botanical Gardens will affect the economy by increasing employment, construction jobs and, of course, restaurant, hotel and attraction use. The Botanical Gardens will be a focus for horticultural efforts by many gardening groups, who until now, have had nowhere to teach and learn. Emphasizing horticulture in such a spectacular space will encourage historic landscape preservation at Roger Williams Park, one of the Nation's great urban parks. The adventure is about to begin!
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