Hazel Miller Plaza at Old Milltown Expected to Be Completed by Late Spring

After several delays, the at Old Milltown on Fifth Avenue South is progressing and should be completed by late spring, says Carrie Hite, Edmonds’ Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services director.

On Tuesday, Hite and Mayor Dave Earling were on hand in the Brackett Room of Edmonds City Hall to formally accept a $10,000 check from the Edmonds Floretum Garden Club.

Floretum Garden Club president Jeri Schoenfeld was joined by officers and members of club, including past president Pauline Gubbels, second vice-president Patti Greene, secretary Linda Murray, Barbara Chase, Diane Buckshnis and Nadeen Miller.

Members from the Floretum Garden Club assisted in the design process and have donated $12,000 toward . The club earmarked $2,000 of the donation for a memorial bench honoring Rachel Setchfield, who designed the original landscape in the 1970s and maintained the garden for many years. Setchfield died last year at age 101.

Four years ago, the Floretum Club—founded in 1922—was inspired to renovate what was known as Old Milltown Garden. In 2008, the garden club started raising funds to redevelop the garden, and many members made significant individual contributions of over $1,000.

“We sincerely thank the City and the Parks Department for their support and contributions in making this garden a reality,” said Schoenfeld.

The bulk of the money donated to the city for the plaza has come from the Hazel Miller Foundation, which made a grant for $88,000 grant award. The grant, which covered more than half the project's costs, was and Edmonds resident Hazel Miller.