Raising awareness and acknowledging the realities of violence within our society requires the existence of tangible forms of remembrance. The Garden of Peace is that place. By its design, the garden symbolizes the grief that is ultimately transformed, first into hope, and then into a commitment to restore peace to our communities.

The Garden of Peace is the first Massachusetts memorial to be sponsored by a broad coalition of individuals, violence prevention and victim service groups and to receive the support of both city and state government.

Local and statewide violence prevention and community-building organizations will incorporate visits to the Garden into their educational programs.

Visitors to Boston will have an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the Garden's park-like setting and to make the experience of the site part of their visit to historic Boston.

History

In 1995, the late Paul Rober, a member of the group, Parents of Murdered Children, and a tireless advocate for victims rights and services, had a dream for a memorial to homicide victims, including his son. He went to the governor, William Weld, and the governor encouraged him to pursue his dream, promising to find a site for the garden on state-owned property.

Paul and other members of Parents of Murdered children set about the task of broadening support for the garden and raising the money to build it. During this process, he ran into a human dynamo in a small package named Beatrice Nessen. Unfortunately, Paul became ill and passed away, but Beatrice accepted the challenge of building a broad coalition of homicide survivors, victim service providers, elected officials and the business community to make the dream a reality.

The garden committee had found a talented landscape designer studying at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Catherine Melina, who has since graduated and is a partner in the design firm of Melina/Hyland, donated the original design for the garden and has stayed with us as our design consultant throughout the process.

The sculptor for one of the main elements of the garden, "Ibis Ascending," is Judy Kensley Mckie, a renowned artist whose son, Jesse, was murdered. Judy contributed her design.

In 2000, the legislature passed a bill designating Mass Development Finance Agency, now known as Mass Development, as the developer for the renewal of the Saltonstall state office building. Through the efforts of the Garden of Peace coalition, the bill required the developer to include the Garden of Peace in its plans. Mass Development not only agreed to this provision, but contributed the first $200,000 for the garden's design and construction. A site was agreed upon on the plaza between the Saltonstall and McCormack buildings on Somerset street.

Garden of Peace, Inc. was incorporated in 2001 as an organization of volunteers who collectively donate time equivalent to three full-time employees to ensure that the Garden becomes a reality.

Paul Rober's dream is close to reality:

Through the dedication of the people involved from the beginning and those who have joined us along the way, we have a permanent site, a beautiful design that will be a major piece of public art in the city of Boston, and about a third of the money we need. Our goal is $1.3 million, and we have already raised about $400,000 through grants from foundations and businesses and through individual contributions.

RECOGNITION WALL