Old North Church Washington Garden Redesign Public Hearing Set for May 15

The Old North Church Foundation will be hosting a public hearing to discuss plans for the redesign of its Washington Garden and Courtyard as an outdoor education and art space interpreting Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s infamous poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride.” The free event will take place at the Old North Church at 6:30pm on Thursday, May 25 and is open to the general public.

The event is being held to obtain the opinions of various stakeholders, community organizations and the general public to help envision the full potential of the Washington Garden as a space where its half a million visitors can learn more about America’s history. Old North is proposing to open up the garden and courtyard and add at least two significant interpretive elements, a water feature that includes the poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride” and a map of the ride in the form of horseshoes and plaques placed in a resurfaced ground plane.

North End resident Sean Sanger of Copley Wolff Design Group, landscape architect for the project, will lead the discussion. Weather permitting; the hearing will begin in the courtyard. Participants will be invited to comment on preliminary plans and add their own ideas for making the space more enjoyable for the whole community. This event is held with a goal of generating public opinion and ideas for the redesign project going forward. The design process is funded by the Browne Fund of the City of Boston, a public arts fund, and by the Beacon Hill Garden Club, longtime caretakers of the garden.