August 12th, 2008 categories: About Me?, Olde Towne East

Last Friday, Internationally renowned award-winning artist James Turrell followed a city council representative and a Franklin County Commissioners representative and Franklin Park Director Bruce Harkey, to the podium and gave a short speech while behind him the first ever illumination of the Conservatory’s 112 year-old historic glass Palm House glowed colorfully. This permanent installation will perform each evening beginning at dusk and can be viewed from the Grand Mallway west of the Palm House or as you crane your neck driving down East Broad Street.

This was a fantastic event with, I’d guess, maybe 1,000 people coming out and viewing the illumination and checking out the Conservatory’s newly opened rooftop decks, bridal garden and event space.  I’m impressed with the event and with Franklin Park’s $20 Million Dollar Growth by Design expansion and renovation plans. 

This park really is a jewel of a park and a great selling point for homes on Columbus’ near East side in neighborhoods like Olde Towne East and Woodland Park.

I’d like to see the City showcase it better than it has in the past.  How about running the proposed East Broad Street Boulevard all the way to Nelson Road? Have you ever tried walking down Broad Street from I-71 to Franklin Park? I do it all the time and I can tell you that the sidewalks aren’t nearly wide enough and the entire trip is simply not pedestrian friendly—let alone crossing the Broad Street Bridge over I-71 into or out of downtown by foot.  What about installing an East/West streetcar line so everyone downtown can quickly and easily get to the Park and enjoy it?

While we’re all waiting for that to happen, meet you at the Thursday rooftop Happy Hours from 5:30 -1 10 PM beginning on August 14^th.  Dubbed Cocktails at the Conservatory and running May through October, the happy hour will also feature appetizers by Cameron Mitchell Catering which runs the Conservatory’s cafe.

Here is my shaky 2.5 minute YouTube video of the event.

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Authored by Joe |