by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
According to project organizers, a proposed garden arboretum in Arlington is drawing local and regional interest.
A collaborative effort between the City, JEA, Jacksonville University and various private interest groups, City Council member Lake Ray released renderings for the project in January, and since then, much in the way of promotion and advocating has been done by Dr. Judith Stevens.
“We’re very excited and encouraged by the interest we’ve already gotten on the project,” she said. “I’ve spoken to people all over town and even with people from as far as away as Tallahassee and South Georgia who have all been delighted and want more information.”
However, Stevens said three things have to happen before fundraising efforts can begin.
“The first thing we had to do was incorporate an advisory board to govern our group, Jacksonville Arboretum and Garden Inc., which we’ve already done,” she said. “From there we have to establish by-laws.”
After establishing a governing board, Stevens said the group will have to register with the Internal Revenue Service to obtain 501.C3 non-profit status.
“Once we do that, we can start raising money and it will be non-taxed,” she said.
Stevens said operating costs have not been finalized, but early figures indicate they’ll be “very low.”
“We’ll be asking the City for assistance, eventually, but I don’t think it will cost very much to remain open throughout the year,” she said. “In fact, I don’t even think we’ll have to employ very many full-time employees at all.”
Stevens, who also heads the Garden Advisory Board, is joined by Gate vice president and garden architect Ken Wilson and Richard Danford, president of the Urban League in promoting the project.
“The public is going to have plenty of opportunities to comment on this project,” she said, “but it will be wonderful. The terrain has everything you can imagine from old oaks and wet and dry lands.”