Marshall Auditorium named at QBG

One of the things borough presidents do is support institutions that sit in one neighborhood and add something to the whole borough. Thus it is with Borough President Helen Marshall and the Queens Botanical Garden (QBG) in Flushing.
In honor of the many years of support, on Wednesday, October 15, a ceremony was held to name the Helen M. Marshall Auditorium at QBG, located at 43-50 Main Street.
The ceremony was attended by Marshall and her family, local elected officials, QBG benefactors, past and present directors and advisory council members of the garden.
“Helen M. Marshall and her office have provided years of invaluable support to Queens Botanical Garden,” said QBG’s Executive Director Susan Lacerte.
“Their long-standing dedication and guidance contributed greatly to our completion of the Garden’s award-winning Sustainable Buildings and Landscapes Project,” Lacerte continued, praising Marshall’s help with “QBG’s continuing mission to bring the strong environmental caliber of this new facility into the adjacent landscapes.”
The event also celebrated a group considered a “key element in continuing the Garden’s sustainability mission,” according to Lacerte - participants in their Bench Adoption program.
Most of QBG’s benches date from the 1964 World’s Fair or are Parks Department leftovers, have been in constant use for more than 30 years and are in need of replacement. Most are made from materials that are neither sustainable nor repairable and create severe, ongoing maintenance issues, Lacerte explained.
QBG has been working with Kenneth Lynch & Sons, the fabricator of the original 1964 World’s Fair Bench, to create a replica using “sustainable” materials: powder-coated cast iron and white oak.
The company, which is also an “adopter,” anticipates their benches to have a lifespan of approximately 20 years.
Each adopted bench will be laser engraved with the name of the donor(s) and/or a short message of their choosing.
Notable among those adopting benches are several generations of the Meyer family: Charles G. Meyer, a QBG founder; his son, Charles G. Meyer, Jr., a former QBG board chair; his son Charles S. Meyer, a former QBG Board Chair and his son Willets S. Meyer, a current QBG Board member.
Also honored for their investment in QBG’s future were: Howard Frelich, CEO of Blondie’s Treehouse, Inc.; Peter Koo, local pharmacy owner and State Senate candidate; former QBG Board Chair Frank Macchio & family; Linda Osanik, a longtime volunteer and supporter of the Garden; the QBG T’ai Chi Group; Dan Tishman, President/CEO of Tishman Construction; QBG Board Member and Vice Chair Ren/e Ring and Robert & Nancy Ward, parents of Jennifer Ward Souder, QBG’s Director of Capital Projects.
For more information on QBG’s bench adoption program, please call Tim Heimerle, the Director of Development at 718.886.3800, Ext. 330.
Located at 43-50 Main Street in Flushing, Queens Botanical Garden is easily accessible by car, train, or bus. Parking is available in the Garden’s lot on Crommelin Street. For travel directions and more information visit www.queensbotanical.org or call 718-886-3800.