ayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Laura Bush today joined Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe and Battery Conservancy Founder and President Warrie Price to dedicate the Gardens of Remembrance in Battery Park.  The 10,000 square-foot Gardens of Remembrance were designed by internationally acclaimed Dutch horticulturist and landscape designer Piet Oudolf in honor of those who died on September 11, 2001.  Mrs. Bush was in New York City to highlight Preserve America, an initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve America's cultural and natural heritage.

"We are honored to be joined by Laura Bush to dedicate the Gardens of Remembrance in Battery Park," said Mayor Bloomberg.  "The Gardens provide a peaceful place in Lower Manhattan where New Yorkers and visitors can remember and reflect on those who lost their lives on September 11th.   I would like to thank the First Lady for joining us today, and to also thank Warrie Price for her efforts and dedication to preserving and beautifying one of New York City's most historic areas."

"In its many incarnations over the past two centuries, The Battery has played an historic role in both the life of New York City and the culture of the United States," said Warrie Price.  "In restoring and rebuilding this unique and beloved site, the Conservancy aspires not to encapsulate or define the limits of history, but to create a place so alive and relevant that history continues to be written here. We are truly proud to be an example of the goals of Preserve America."

"The Gardens of Remembrance provides a place for reflection for New Yorkers and visitors," said Commissioner Benepe.  "The Battery played an important role in the history of New York City and today it offers beautiful gardens and lawns, recreational activities, a promenade along the great New York Harbor and historic structures and monuments."

The Gardens of Remembrance are made up of 10,000 square feet of 113 species of perennials and flowers that form a green necklace of planting beds running contiguous with the waterfront and overlooking New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty.  The Gardens of Remembrance and the horticultural master plan for Battery Park were made possible by a $400,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and a $1 million grant from the Verizon Foundation to establish an endowment.  The Battery Conservancy has launched a campaign to raise an additional $3 million required to fully endow the Gardens of Remembrance.

A destination for over 4 million visitors and 14 million commuters each year, Battery Park is one of Manhattan's most dramatic public open spaces south of Central Park, with 23 acres of City parkland offering peerless vistas onto New York Harbor's 11,000 acres of waterway.  Battery Park is a major urban transportation hub and home to more than two-dozen important monuments, inviting green spaces, paths for pedestrians and bicyclists, and unrivaled visual access to New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty. 

Preserve America is a White House initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy the country's priceless cultural and natural heritage. The goals of the initiative include a greater shared knowledge about the Nation's past, strengthened regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country's cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of our communities.