Eagle Scout has uplifting plan for somber memorial

Project aims to beautify Sept. 11 display at Montgomery Park.

By: Paul Sisolak
   MONTGOMERY — When it came time for Adam Fox to perform his Eagle Scout project, he made sure it would be for more than just rank and merit.
   The 17-year-old Montgomery High School student decided to improve on the Sept. 11 memorial in Montgomery Park — a re-beautification effort he hopes will leave an impression on residents for years to come.
   Beginning in the next few weeks, Adam will be planting new flowers and shrubs at the memorial. Taking note of strong winds and hungry deer, he made a list of perennial foliage resistant to the elements, including an array of irises, roses and herbs.
   "I felt this needed to be done," he said. "It just didn’t seem like there was enough."
   The memorial, located near the park’s pedestrian path, is currently surrounded by a series of red, white and blue pansies and tulips. Red barberry hedges, which retain their patriotic color scheme even in winter, will be planted at the rear side of the memorial, he said.
   The planting bed, he noted, would measure 15 feet deep and 30 feet wide.
   When planning his project, the Life Scout didn’t stop there, drafting his plans to give the memorial a complete redesign.
   The memorial’s centerpiece, a bronze plaque situated atop a piece of granite from one of the World Trade Center towers, is flanked in a semicircle by two park benches and overlooked by a massive American flag. Adam would like to see the benches centered in front of the granite block and, cost permitting, a few oak or juniper trees placed where the benches are now located.
   Additionally, Adam said, flowers will be planted on the adjacent side of the footpath to enlarge the garden to a size more suitable for a memorial.
   "I thought it would be better to have them on both sides of the path so you feel like you’re walking through it," he said.
   "If I really could," he continued, "I’d like to put in a brick pathway."
   While an expensive project, Adam kept track of the financial impact of the entire proposal in his month of planning. Since Boy Scout rules dictate that scouts cannot pay for projects with their own money, he has sought donations from local nurseries to provide him with flowers and gardening supplies.
   "I’m really subject to what I can receive from donations," he said, noting that he may approach local businesses for funds if needed.
   The Montgomery Township Committee voiced unanimous support for the project when he presented the plans at the committee’s May 1 meeting.
   The project, said Mayor Louise Wilson, will give the memorial "a sense of completeness."
   Ms. Wilson said the committee will give its official approval of the plan at Wednesday evening’s work session meeting upon written notification of the township’s consulting architect, Richard Bartolone, who has discussed the project with Adam.
   "Adam was very well researched," said Mr. Bartolone. "I think he did a very nice job and it certainly could help."
   Mr. Bartolone said the township’s Parks and Recreation Department will cooperate with maintaining the garden once completed.
   Expecting the project to be complete by the end of this month, Adam has petitioned the help of local Scout troops 184 and 46 to assist in the planting phase. He is hoping township residents will volunteer their green thumbs to plant annuals and help weed the garden as time goes on.
   "I’m hoping this will be an ongoing thing and it won’t just sit there," he said.
   The Sept. 11 Memorial in Montgomery Park is located off Harlingen Road.