ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — The Quad City Botanical Center has begun work on a new installation aiming to make the center more accessible to all visitors.
The organization began construction on the new Ability Garden, which is being custom-designed with functional needs in mind.
Designers made the garden with mobility and other accessibility features in mind, from elevated garden beds accessible to those who have trouble bending down, to the neutral color, softer stone materials and specific plants being used to make the garden more sensory-friendly.
The Ability Garden will be located just outside the main garden gates as part of the facility's entrance and will be free to enter.
The six-figure cost project was made possible by the Linda Litt Legacy, Roy J. Carver Trust, Merck Pharmaceuticals, Regional Development Authority and the Tri-City Garden Club. The Handicapped Development Center and Hand-in-hand will be planting flowers in the new beds and helping to maintain the garden.
Construction is expected to last about eight weeks. A ribbon-cutting date will be announced in the future.
