Rotary Club of Penrith
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Home | Club Activities | Karen MacDougall - The Coronation Garden
Mon Jul 4th 2011
What do you get if you ask 400 Penrith children and young people to tell the story of Penrith so that future generations can learn about and be proud of their heritage? The answer is to be seen in Penrith Museum for the next five weeks when their artistic work will be exhibited as a contribution to the regeneration of the Coronation Garden in Portland Place, Penrith.
This innovative Rotary project, which has secured a grant of £20,900 from the Heritage Lottery to develop detailed plans for the regeneration of the garden, will provide a welcoming peaceful oasis in the town where adults, children and visitors alike can simply relax in the sensory garden or they may wish to follow a time line portraying significant features of Penrith's heritage.
At their meeting this week at the George Hotel, Penrith Rotarians enjoyed a preview of the exhibition when Karen MacDougall , the consultant designer/ artist working for Rotary with the schools and groups, revealed the breathtaking array of ideas, imagination and creativity that had gone into the designs.
Eight schools, youth and local groups, have each worked through a structured process to produce a design for a historical banner. It is intended that eight banners be displayed on four double sided flagpoles. The themes depict various periods of history from the Neolithic to the present day. Additionally four schools have each designed an interactive artwork that which be strategically positioned within the formal garden design; these will portray, the ancient seal of Penrith. The Beacon, Penrith Castle and Penrith's market town tradition. All school pupils and people involved have carried out historical research, either by visits to the Museum, or with Museum exhibits as well as visits to historical locations throughout the town. The Museum exhibition is a key aspect of this development where the community can see how this important project is taking shape.
In thanking Karen, Rotarian Jeff Fawcett, who is the project coordinator for the garden, stated that her work had generated tremendous interest and enthusiasm in all the schools and groups she had worked with, and, for the children and people concerned, it had obviously been a most enjoyable learning experience.
Should the application to the Heritage Lottery be successful many of the young people in involved will grow up to see with pride their contributions prominently displayed.