U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and Executive Director of Parks, Municipal Buildings and Recreation Thomas Ashe discuss plans for a horticultural center at Forest Park.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen
SPRINGFIELD — The long-awaited horticultural center at Forest Park is one step closer to becoming a reality after U.S. Rep. Richard Neal secured a federal earmark for the project.
In early August, Neal joined Mayor Domenic Sarno for the funding’s announcement, as well as Executive Director of Parks, Municipal Buildings and Recreation Thomas Ashe, the Garden Club and Ward 6 City Councilor Victor Davila, who represents the area where the park is located.
“Springfield’s fortunate. It has a spectacular public parks system,” Neal said. “The federal partnership here has been really substantial across the city. We have invested from the federal government tens of millions of dollars in the Springfield parks system.” He said Sarno has been a “terrific steward” of that investment.
Speaking of his affinity for Springfield’s parks, the one-time mayor said with a smile, “I’m such a product of the city parks system. There’s not an inch of the city’s parks system that I haven’t played on. You know, growing up, my grandmother never got a driver’s license, my mother never had a driver’s license, and you walked to a lot of parks, and you played ball and it was what you did every day.” He said he was a “real believer” in public parks.
Sarno said the earmark funding is the “seeds of the foundation of the Horticultural Center.” He also thanked the Garden Club for their work. Neal said the Garden Club sought the earmark, bringing the horticultural center to his attention.
Ashe extended “a heartfelt thanks” to Neal. He said the funding will be used for phase one of the project, which includes the site survey, design and construction documents and initial site work. These are required to send the project out to bid. When completed, the horticultural center will occupy a space near the Monkey House, next to the eternal flame memorializing President John F. Kennedy. Ashe said the center will be used for education and recreation. Sarno referenced Smith College’s bulb show as the type of draw the horticultural center could be.
Neal said earmarks serve many functions. It is Congress’s constitutional duty to appropriate funding, and he described earmarks as a “custodial responsibility.” He also said they allow federal representatives and senators to interact with local officials, hospitals and universities, rather than funneling it through the state.
