WELLSVILLE - As of early November, The Fassett GreenSpace
Project is officially an ADA-compliant, accessible outdoor public garden for
all residents. Thanks to outside funding, The Fassett GreenSpace finally has a
solid 'floor' and is truly accessible to the community. Board President,
Cassandra Bull, spent over six months searching and applying to grants that
would fund the installation of brick pavers in GreenSpace. After receiving
eleven rejection letters, Art for Rural America's board had heard the question
"who would want to pay for a bunch of bricks?" too many times. The group
stayed determined for their cause, and was awarded full funding for this
project in May of 2019.
Greg Carlin, Wellsville resident and mason with 30
years of experience, was contracted to start installing the pavers in late
September. In a little over a month, Carlin finished laying over 14,000 bricks
between the walls of the garden labyrinth, covering 2,750 square feet of
pathway. “Greg was absolutely fantastic to work with through this process” says
Bull, "You can tell he is an expert in his craft. He was thorough,
thoughtful, and professional. The installation took place quickly and without a
single headache, which I have found to be extremely rare in construction
projects."
This grant was given by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation's
Design and Access Legacy Funds, administered through the Community Foundation
of Greater Buffalo. Design and Access funds help “increase the health and
quality of life of WNY residents of all ages by enhancing outdoor activities
within the region,” according to their website. This is the second time the
Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation helped support the Fassett GreenSpace Project.
The first grant, in partnership with KaBOOM!, funded the procurement and
installation of the Outdoor Musical Instruments featured in the garden. The new
grant also allowed for the construction of an informational kiosk which now
houses a community-made mosaic sign.
The Fassett GreenSpace now showcases permeable brick pavers
made by Whitacre Greer in Ohio. These are the same pavers that are installed in
Alfred State College’s Wellsville Campus at their Zero Energy Demonstration
home. The pavers are an especially interesting design, as they create a passive
water filtration system in which natural microbes form within the gravel and
clean the water as it flows through. These bricks took Whitacre Greer four
months to make for the Fassett GreenSpace, and are well worth the wait. Thanks
to all involved, the Fassett GreenSpace is now open for those with wheelchairs,
strollers, or scooters. For more information about the project, follow The
Fassett GreenSpace project on Facebook or visit their website
www.ArtforRuralAmerica.org or email ArtforRuralAmerica@gmail.com. For more
information on Greg Carlin, call 585-808-6436 or email GcCarlin1@gmail.com.
