Little piece of paradise.

Peaceful.

Little Garden of Eden.

Those are just some of the descriptors used to describe the Healing Garden and Crescent Park during Friday night’s dedication.

Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton Smokey the Bear made an appearance at Friday night’s festivities.

It’s been a project years in the making from the park improvements – trail, lights, infrastructure – to the design and implementation of the garden.

Friday marked a very well attended victory lap.

“What a wonderful thing we have here in the City of Warren,” Mayor Dave Wortman said.

State Senator Scott Hutchinson credited the “people that came together and carved out a little piece of paradise” with the park. “In the end, successful projects happen because the community sees a need…. My congratulations to the community for recognizing the potential of this site” and “making this a very special place.”

Wortman and Parks & Recreation Commission chair Mike Suppa highlighted the legacy of Karen Bonnell, who, when they were teenagers together, died of cancer. The site of the garden used to be the baseball field for the south side.

Karen Bonnell was a beautiful person, a beautiful soul,” Wortman said, calling this garden a “fitting honor for her legacy.

“Let us hope this is a peaceful place.”

Warren General Hospital CEO Rick Allen said the hospital was pleased to jump in as a partner for the project because “the feeling does play a role in healing,” saying the garden is “certainly going to help all of the patients at Warren General Hospital.”

In addition to dedicating the garden and re-dedicating the park, Friday was also a time to recognize a century of service by the city’s Street Landscape Committee.

Hutchinson presented citations from both the state Senate and House in commemoration of that milestone.

We hope that families come, individuals come and enjoy the park,” Josie Gerarde, the committee’s chair, said.