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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010 09 13 Consent 204 Additional Memorial Benches At Central Winds Park COMMISSION AGENDA Consent X Informational ITEM 204 Public Hearing Regular ( 3 September 13, 2010 s( � Regular Meeting Mgr. / Dept. Authorization REQUEST: Parks and Recreation is requesting that the City Commission consider the request from Compassionate Friends to place 2 additional Memorial Benches in the Children's Memorial Area in the wooded Passive Area of the Central Winds Park. SYNOPSIS: There are currently 4 approved memorial benches in the wooded Central Winds Park Passive Area. Compassionate Friends is requesting approval to place 2 additional benches in that area. CONSIDERATIONS: • Commissioner Sally McGinnis at the July 12, 2010 City Commission Meeting asked about the status of additional Memorial Benches at Central Winds Park. • Staff met with Mr. Tim Johnson, a representative of Compassionate Friends to thoroughly review the request. • The City Commission at the May 13, 1996 meeting approved the donation of up to 4 Memorial Benches in the wooded Central Winds Park Passive Area that are available for public use. • Each Bench is made of marble /granite, is about 5 feet long. Each has engraved the names of 18 children with their birth and death anniversary dates. • The Benches have not required any City maintenance and have not been damaged. Compassionate Friends periodically clean them up and will do any fix up required to insure that they stay in presentable condition. • The area of the woods in the back of Central Winds Park is identified on the Parks master plan as the Children's Memorial Area. • Should the city for some reason determine that it has another need for this area or they are no longer compatible with that area Compassionate Friends will remove and relocate them Agenda Item Consent 204 September 13, 2010 Page 2 • Mr. Tim Johnson, a representative of Compassionate Friends is present to address any questions or concerns. FISICAL IMPACT: -0- COMMUNICATION EFFORTS: Copies and /or Access to This Agenda Item have been provided to The Mayor and City Commission, City Attorney, Department Directors; placed in Press Packets; placed in press packets; placed in The Lobby Binder; is available on The City's Website, Laserfiche, and The City's Server; and through all other actions completed via The City Clerk's posting procedure. Compassionate Friends will communicate with Parks and Recreation staff regarding location and installation. RECOMMENDATION: Parks and Recreation recommends that the City Commission consider this request from Compassionate Friends to place 2 additional Memorial Benches in the Children's Memorial Area in the wooded Passive Area of Central Winds Park and take any action they deem appropriate. ATTACHMENTS: Attachment #1 E -Mail from Tim Johnson Attachment #2 Compassionate Friends Brochure Attachment #3 Current location picture of Memorial Benches Page 1 of 1 ATTACHMENT « tim Johnson From: "tim johnson" <tjohnson1139@cfl.rr.com> To: "tim johnson" <tjoohnson1139@cfl.rr.com >; <jose- palau©gmail.com> Sent Wednesday, August 18, 201012:27 AM To: Chuck Pula City of Winter Springs Florida, 32708 From: Tim Johnson The Compassionate Friends Orlando Chapter The Compassionate Friends is a not - for - profit support group for parents who have lost a child. Presently we have four granite memorial benches on Children's Memorial Trail in Central Winds Park. We wish to add multiple benches to the parks in the City of Winter Springs. The next two benches would be placed in Central Winds Park. The Compassionate Friends sponsor a memorial butterfly release/ picnic each Memorial Day in Central Winds Park and the benches add to the overall experience. Our members will be happy to commit to a periodic clean -up/ fix -up visit to all the benches to insure that they stay in very presentable condition. These attractive benches will complement the beauty of Central Winds Park and The Compassionate Friends will be honored to place these beautiful Memorial Benches on Children's Memorial Trail. Tim Johnson 8/18/2010 OUR CREDO The The Compassionate We need not walk alone. We are The Compassion- Compassionate ate Friends. We reach out to each other with love, Friends with understanding and with hope. Our children Friends have died at all ages and from many different _ Orlando Chapter Meets: causes, but our love for our children unites us. Your pain becomes my pain just as your hope Orlando Chapter becomes my hope. We come together from all walks of life, from many different circumstances. We 1st Tuesday of each month are a unique family because we represent many 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. races and creeds. We are young and we are old. Some of us are far along in our grief, but others still Central Christian Church feel a grief so fresh and so intensely painful that we 250 W. Ivanhoe Blvd. feel helpless and see no hope. Some of us have found our faith to be a source of strength; some of Orlando, FL us are struggling to find answers. Some of us are (accessible from Exit 84 off angry, filled with guilt or in deep depression; others radiate an inner peace. But whatever pain we bring Interstate -4) to this gathering of The Compassionate Friends, it is pain we will share just as we share with each other our love for our children. We are all seeking and struggling to build a future for ourselves, but we are committed to building that future together as we reach out to each other in love and share the pain as well as the joy, share the anger as well as the peace, share the faith as well as the doubts and help each other grieve as well as to grow. WE NEED NOT WALK ALONE Revised January 2010 WE ARE THE COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS Orlando Chapter The Compassionate Friends 407- 227 -2862 When a Child Dies www. compassionatefriendsorlando.org 407 - 227 -2862 ••••••••••••••••••••••• , ••••••••••••••••••••••• row is su orted solel throw The group meets the first Tuesday 9 P pP solely through 9 night of each month. The meetings donations. Membership unfortunately Grie .... are very informal as parents join comes with the death of our When a child dies, a parent's world together to share. No one is required child /children. There are no religious is torn apart and turned upside to talk, but all are encouraged to affiliations. A library is provided with down. It will never be the same talk. Parents who are further along in again. The grief, as a result of this books and handouts that members their grief continue to be a part of can borrow. loss, is the worst thing that a parent the group to help the newly will ever endure. The bottom line is bereaved, to show them that parents Laughter.... that you have to go through the can o forward with physical and 9 P Y Parents will sometimes hear the grief. You cannot avoid it, you emotional healing. sound of laughter at the meetings. cannot hide from it. You may delay certain parts of grief and you may This is a sound that might offend at feel that you have been able to avoid Gaining Insight.••• first, but as time passes, parents will it; but, if you don't go through the The Compassionate Friends again laugh when they remember the organization is not a therapy group, grief process, you will never be able good memories of their child/ to have a positive resolution of the nor are chapter meetings "therapy" children, and they find that they can death of your child /children. sessions. Healing is slowly and go on with their lives . . . in just a gently promoted as parents gain Grief is hard work. You experience insight and understanding and have little different manner. many different feelings - disbelief, an opportunity to vent their feelings Events such as picnics are held to sadness, loneliness, fear, anger, in a safe environment. The give parents a time to get together regret, guilt, despair, and personal Compassionate Friends do not focus and to know that it is all right to loss. There is no right or wrong way morbidly on death, thus rekindling laugh and have fun again without to express your grief. unhappy feelings. We do ac- guilt. Memorial events such as a knowledge the pain that is a part of candlelight service in December are You're not alone.... loving. We have loved, therefore we held as a memorial to the children. You do not have to go through this grieve. We are willing to share grief process alone. There are other someone else's sorrow. p The Compassionate Friends can offer parents who have experienced the The meetings are confidential. There no easy answers and no miracle cures. death of a child /children and can is no judgment made on the life of The Compassionate Friends offer love, offer understanding and support. the child nor on the cause of death. and understanding at the death of a child. These parents make up The The reality is that a child has died. P Compassionate Friends. There are no membership dues, the •••••••••••••••••••••••1 {� % • ; wig 4 le, t 1 * i - + ''i . ,, • • „ L•. ' .P . �i 1 4, r - ^ di • , ■ 7 144 = • �' u f 1 ~ 1 e y F �rtT a ..e., I rt y o _ r; ♦ . ' kF 1 r s 1, _. r. r a' ,. . t i 1 1. . i 1 r ' . 7 • " y ' " t . 2 ci , - . t '1' r _ _, * °`.. ` 1 } r 4 ro r : .M "r : . y 11 ' r„ - , . :,...,!, . ...„ 4" t - . • •, 4 ".. I. ...‘" .. 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