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Date: 5/18/2021
GRANBY – This past February, beloved Granby resident Alice Stewart passed away. She volunteered her time and money to numerous groups and causes, one of them being Friends of the Granby Free Public Library.
"Alice was our neighbor," said Director Jennifer Crosby. "Since we were right next door to her house, she would ride her tractor over to get her books. She was a wonderful part of our community, such a generous caring person."
The library originally owned a building in the center of town. That building has since been closed, and they moved to their current location in 2013. Crosby told Reminder Publishing when they first talked about constructing a new library, they didn't know where to find the land to put it on. Stewart came forward and offered a parcel of land that she and her husband owned in town right on route 202 for the building of the library.
"It was a nice way for her to do something for the community that revolved around her love of books," replied Crosby. Even though the library gave Stewart naming rights to a room in their building, Crosby said it didn't feel enough for her memory. Considering Stewart loved reading and gardening so much, they decided to create a memorial garden in the rear of the library in her honor.
"We thought it would be really nice to move a couple of her fondest pieces from her garden over to ours so that no matter what happens to her property, there will always be something of hers here on our property for people to remember her by," Crosby shared.
Organizer Louis Barry who was on the building committee of the library recalled Stewart as a “very quietly generous person” helping others not for the recognition, but because she wanted to out of the goodness of her heart. In order to raise donations for the project he started the Alice Stewart Memorial Garden Fund.
"The garden will look over Alice's meadow," said Barry. "The large acreage that Alice purchased, which included the parcel the library is now on, consists of a very large field or meadow and a larger wooded area. The rear of the library faces the meadow."
He continued, "We were looking for a place where people could go, sit quietly outside and enjoy looking at the meadow. We anticipate some bird houses out there because Alice was very into feeding birds and wildlife. There will be expenses involved such as matting, mulch, additional plantings, seating and etc. We're hoping to raise enough funds to pay for these expenses."
Barry also mentioned the garden will be designed by a Janice Hartley, who designed the landscape of the library. To date the Alice Stewart Memorial Garden Fund site has raised $350 and there has been an additional $420 raised which was sent directly to the library. Barry said they're in the first stage of the project. The next step will be to design the space and from there they will have a better idea of what will be involved and how much everything will cost. Barry said he is hoping some of the local landscape companies or businesses will come through and make donations. The project will be starting soon, and within the next month or so there will be visible progress.
"We just want everyone to know how wonderfully generous Alice was," Crosby concluded. "Not too many people give a valuable piece of their own land/property to the town. This is the legacy she wanted to leave behind."
Residents can donate through the Alice Stewart Memorial Garden Fund at https://www.gofundme.com/f/alice-stewart-memorial-garden-fund or donate directly to the Friends of Granby's Library care of Granby Free Public Library, 297 East State St., Granby, MA 01033 attn. Alice Stewart Memorial Garden Fund.