6 Worcester Business Journal | December 6, 2021 | wbjournal.com
Aer 12 years of planning, Tower Hill has completed construction on an
effort to diversify its audience
T
ower Hill Botanic Garden
in Boylston has completed
a $15-million construction
project aimed at widening
its audience, and debuted
its new renovations on Nov. 26 at the
beginning of its annual, month-long
holiday Night Lights event.
e project, which includes parking
lot expansions, accessibility upgrades,
and, most notably, a children's garden,
has been in conception for 12 years, but
broke ground in January, said Tower
Hill CEO Grace Elton.
"We're really trying to make sure that
the whole community realizes that this
is a place for them," said Elton. "at
oen starts with the kids."
Known as e Ramble, the 1.5-acre
garden marketed for children includes
a waterfall, amphitheater, and several
multi-use spaces for educational and
recreational purposes. e space meets
the accessibility standards of the Amer-
icans with Disabilities Act, including
specialized woodchip ramps leading
into the garden, and a 100% water per-
meable pathway made of recycled tires.
Tower Hill has doubled its parking
space to 500 spaces and added 40,000
new plants.
e construction projects cost $12.75
million, with an additional $2.25 mil-
lion spent on campaign costs and land
acquisition.
"We anticipate that opening this
garden will have a dramatic increase
for our visitation, as well as our
membership," Elton said, adding that
The $15-million project was designed to meet accessibility standards.
Tower Hill Botanic Garden's
new children's garden is
designed to attract people
who might not naturally come
to a garden.
PHOTOS | COURTESY OF TOWER HILL BOTANIC GARDEN
$15M expansion
BY KATHERINE HAMILTON
WBJ Staff Writer