Stand Up for Stewart Park Summer Campaign 2016!

This summer, support our revitalization efforts by Standing Up for Stewart Park.

The Friends of Stewart Park is thrilled to be partnering with the City of Ithaca, the Wharton Studio Museum and many others to revitalize Stewart Park for the park's July 4, 2021 Centennial Celebration. 

Did you know that many of these terrific REVITALIZATION projects have already been completed? These include: 

• The Tea Pavilion reconstruction
• A new roof for the historic Cascdilla Boathouse
• New landscaping at the park's entrance
• A restored Mayor Stewart Memorial Flagpole Garden, and
• New interpretive signs for the park's historic buildings and the Renwick Wildwood.  

We still have many projects in the works including:

• Restoring the Picnic Pavilion and Fuertes Overlook.
• Planning and design of a New Playground and Spray Play Area
• Paddling Improvements throughout the park
• Creating a Performance Plaza between the park's historic pavilions, and
• Exhibits about silent film history and park history on and inside of the Wharton Studio Building.
  

There is so much happening in Stewart Park! DONATE NOW and make a gift to support our multiple REVITALIZATION projects

Some Background Information

In Mayor Edwin C. Stewart’s inauguration speech in January of 1920, he declared that,

“it is a disgrace to our city that there is not a place where Ithacan's and their guests may go to enjoy our lake without trespassing on private property”.

He acted quickly to provide public access to the lake.  By 1921 the land had been purchased, the grounds spruced up, debris from the waterfront cleared and the park made ready for public enjoyment. Unfortunately, Mayor Stewart died before the official park opening on July 4, 1921. In his will the Mayor left $150,000 (more than $1 million in today's dollars) to the city for the improvement and maintenance of the park, and it was renamed Stewart Park in his honor in 1927.  As the park's 100th birthday approaches in 5 years, the Friends of Stewart Park is working to make a variety of park improvements, large and small, that will ensure another 100 years of waterfront fun for Ithacan's and their guests.