The Restoration Initiative

As of November 2011, the first phase of renovation of the Mayor Stewart Memorial Flagpole Garden is now complete. 

In 1927, the flagpole was set into the garden and dedicated to the memory of Mayor Stewart, who made access to Stewart Park open to all visitors.

On November 1st, 2011 Dan Lamb presented a flag from the White House, acquired by Rep. Maurice Hinchey, at a flag-raising ceremony attended by Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce president Jean McPheeters, the Board President Scott Wiggins of the new Friends of Stewart Park and Mayors Peterson, Gutenberger and Shaw were present. 

One summer workday and two fall workdays helped get the garden to its present state. On October 29th, 2011 the Eagle Scouts and Cornell University's "Into the Streets" volunteers helped to beautify the garden.

Planting of the garden will likely occur in the spring of 2012, after the danger of frost has passed. 

The restoration initiative is a partnership between the Cayuga Waterfront Trail Initiative, the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce and the newly-formed Friends of Stewart Park. The initiative aims to restore the garden to its former glory in the heydays of Stewart Park while keeping the fundamental historical character of the park intact.

To donate to an endowment fund to maintain the garden's beauty in perpetuity, email us.

Thanks to the efforts of Jim Van Buskirk of Level Green (a landscape contractor), volunteer Danny Wheeler, who painted the flagpole and refinished the plaque in August, the stonemason Joel Brain, a supportive city staff, and all who donated to make this possible.

 Thank you to Dave Burbank for this wonderful photo of the garden in its current state of completion. See more photos of the flagpole raising on our Facebook page.