The Stark Foundation has closed all of its cultural venues to the public because of the COVID pandemic. Governor Greg Abbott relaxed some of the restrictions a week ago on state parks allowing admittance to the public if they were in groups of five people or less and were wearing masks.
It was hoped with the opening of the parks that there might be a possibility that at least the Shangri La Botanical Gardens in Orange might also re-open. The gardens’ director Rick Lewandowski met with the department heads of Shangri La this week to discuss opening the gardens again to the public. “For the time being we will remain closed in support of the regional, state, and national guidelines to prevent COVID-19 spread,” Lewandowski sadly announced on Friday.
Lewandowski said the goal at Shangri La is to continue planning and to hopefully be ready to open in the next several weeks. “To be honest we have not made a decision, in mid-May we’ll continue to be reassessing the conditions for a return,” Lewandowski advised.
One of the features of the Stark Cultural Venues is they attract a lot of folks. The Stark Museum of Art, the Stark House, and Shangri La all have visitors from far and wide. The Stark Foundation is concerned not only just locally, but of the out of this region impact that might occur if the venues open prematurely.
Lewandowski added the staff is planning for the future while also still working to keep the gardens pristine and looking good so they will be ready when the public is allowed to see them again. The gardens are growing and so are the weeds which keeps the staff busy.
A very structured plan is in place according to Lewandowski where the staff is there intermittently and not close together managing their social distancing. They are watering and maintaining the plants that need to be taken care of.
Before the gardens reopen Lewandowski envisions Shangri La will be doing a lot of special projects. “We’ve got some really cool new garden stuff that’s getting ready to happen, so when folks come back sometime either later this spring or in early summer they’re going to see some great new things in the garden,” Lewandowski guarantees.
Shangri La and the other Stark Cultural Venues are providing great activities on their social media platforms with Facebook and their website. Education Coordinator Katie Krantz at the gardens is doing special learning activities for young people and the young at heart on those locations.
To honor the community awareness of the COVID pandemic the Stark Museum of Art is lit up every night in blue to show its support for the medical personnel and first responders with the work they are doing. Lewandowski encourages local citizens to drive downtown in the evening to see the museum with the blue lights.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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