Warsaw Biblical Gardens Arbor Rebuilt Locally To Be Bigger, Stronger
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
But in 2014 it was determined that the arbor was in such bad condition, it had to be replaced. Dustin Wiggs, a local artist, Warsaw resident and Park Dept. employee, stepped up to lead a group of volunteers to rebuild it – bigger and stronger.
“I was approached by (Warsaw Biblical Gardens gardener) Pardee (Gunter) about a possible repair job on the arbor. While we were looking at it closer, we noticed it was in full disrepair and it definitely needed more than a repair job. He had the fear that with kids climbing on it, that it was becoming unsafe, especially with its age,” Wiggs said in an interview April 15.
They took the idea to the Gardens board almost a year ago and told them about the project. They showed the board photos of the major issues with the old arbor. “All agreed that something needed to be done about it and soon,” Wiggs said.
He pitched the board the idea that it all could be done here instead of New York City. “I told them that we could not only do it, but every piece of the wood would come from Kosciusko County, and even from the parks system and Biblical Gardens itself. So if we all worked together, it was possible,” Wiggs said.
According to Gunter, when the Gardens was built, the arbor was part of the original design. The Gardens was dedicated June 23, 1991.
A member of the Myer and Rosa Levin family – who donated the property for the Gardens – saw an arbor in Central Park in New York City. She thought it would be a good idea for the Warsaw gardens.
She contacted the architect of the NYC arbor, David Robinson. When no local builders were interested in building an arbor for Warsaw, Robinson was asked to do it. He built it in New York, disassembled it, brought it to Warsaw and reassembled it here, Gunter said.
Then last year, “it started falling apart and we were concerned about it lasting,” Gunter said.
The unique project of rebuilding the arbor was “just a tremendous huge job,” Gunter said.
Robinson used unmilled black locust, white oak and mountain laurel and rhododendron for branches collected from three states out east. Woods used for the new arbor include white oak, black locust and red cedar – but all of it came from Kosciusko County.
Gardens board member Ann Zydek said, “I’m so pleased to have all the wood come from Kosciusko County. For myself, just coming into the garden, walking through the arbor, it is an awesome experience. It was something that needed to be done. This is a welcome addition that adds to the garden.”
“It’s just beautiful. It looks great,” Gunter said.
One of the volunteers on the arbor mentioned to Gunter that some of the beams were crooked. He told the volunteer that no apologies were necessary because it gave it character.
Larry Plummer, board member and Warsaw Parks Dept. superintendent, is Wiggs’ boss and encouraged the board to let Wiggs take a crack at the arbor. Plummer said, “I think he’s done an amazing job here. I’m proud of him. I’m proud that it was done locally and not in New York. It will be here for years, and it’s neat that a local citizen did this for the public to enjoy.”
He said Wiggs has an extensive background in carving and engraving and he knew Wiggs could handle the task. “I knew he had the background. The board knew he could handle the task,” Plummer said.
Board member Jon Garber also agreed the project looks great. “It adds a lot to the Biblical Gardens,” he said, noting that Wiggs is very talented.
Once the board approved Wiggs to go ahead with the project, his first step was tracking down the wood.
“It takes specific types of wood that are bug and rot resistant to allow it to last for so long outside in the weather. So there’s only certain types of wood that are good for it. We also wanted to stick with Biblical woods if it was possible. Oak and cedar were both mentioned loosely in the Bible so were appropriate for the Biblical Gardens project,” Wiggs said.
In his search for the right local wood, he found black locust, white oak and red cedar. A lot of the white oak came from the park system itself and a few other donors who all got on board for the project. The red cedar and some white oak came from the Biblical Gardens. The majority of the black locust was donated by George Hardie.
“Many truckloads were harvested. Every piece of it by hand had to be carried all the way and debarked, sized and multiple things had to be done to each log to prepare it for the project,” Wiggs explained. “It took a lot of help and a lot of man hours.”
He worked all winter preparing the wood.
“To do all of that work took basically the whole winter long. Each and every log was handled multiple times throughout the process ... with the work that needed to be done to it,” Wiggs said.
“I wanted the work to be done all winter long, and the old arbor to come down overnight and the new arbor to go up within a week. My goal was to build it within a week, even though the work was done throughout many months,” he continued.
As the work progressed, Wiggs kept the board involved and filled them in on the process. “Everyone was very encouraging,” he said.
Wiggs found some of the woods to be pretty sturdy. “Being bug and rot resistant also means they’re extremely dense hard wood, and working with that can wear down tools quickly and wear down your body quickly. It was very physical, very labor intensive. Each piece was done by hand. I pretty much expected that ahead of time though, it wasn’t too much of a shocker,” Wiggs said of the project’s challenges.
Luckily, he had volunteers who provided a lot of “really great help,” he said. “It’s really neat to see what will happen when people come together and put their time in. Great things can happen when that happens. We were even able to get the kids involved throughout the project and they were very proud they were able to put their time in also. It’s nice to see so many people come together for something.”
He said every step was taken to make it possible for his grandchildren to walk through the arbor one day, from using thicker and heavier logs to a penetrating sealant on the wood.
“Basically, we took the old idea and improved on it every way we could,” Wiggs said.
By the time the new arbor was completed, he said every goal he set was met.
“Everything came together right on time. It was really nice,” Wiggs said. “I’m thankful for the Biblical Gardens board to put their trust in me to lead this project.”
The Gardens opened for the season April 15. When people see the new arbor, Wiggs said he hopes they enjoy it.
“The old one was a focal point of the Gardens, especially for wedding photos, and the Gardens itself. I would love for it to fill those shoes – be a place where you take beautiful photos and walk through it and feel like you’re a part of nature. Feel like you’re somewhere special,” Wiggs said.
“It really gives you a sense of being in touch with roots,” Zydek said.
Wiggs grew up in Syracuse and graduated from Wawasee High School. His art includes wood carvings and engravings.
“I’ve been taking on larger and larger projects and challenges,” he said. “I love a large project like this. It’s a challenge and it pushes my ability. It’s great to do something that so many people will be able to enjoy for so many years to come.”
Next, he said he has larger art projects he’d like to make down the road, which are in the works already.
“I’m always trying to make something unique that I’ve never seen before or something to challenge myself. Every new project is something different,” he said.[[In-content Ad]]
But in 2014 it was determined that the arbor was in such bad condition, it had to be replaced. Dustin Wiggs, a local artist, Warsaw resident and Park Dept. employee, stepped up to lead a group of volunteers to rebuild it – bigger and stronger.
“I was approached by (Warsaw Biblical Gardens gardener) Pardee (Gunter) about a possible repair job on the arbor. While we were looking at it closer, we noticed it was in full disrepair and it definitely needed more than a repair job. He had the fear that with kids climbing on it, that it was becoming unsafe, especially with its age,” Wiggs said in an interview April 15.
They took the idea to the Gardens board almost a year ago and told them about the project. They showed the board photos of the major issues with the old arbor. “All agreed that something needed to be done about it and soon,” Wiggs said.
He pitched the board the idea that it all could be done here instead of New York City. “I told them that we could not only do it, but every piece of the wood would come from Kosciusko County, and even from the parks system and Biblical Gardens itself. So if we all worked together, it was possible,” Wiggs said.
According to Gunter, when the Gardens was built, the arbor was part of the original design. The Gardens was dedicated June 23, 1991.
A member of the Myer and Rosa Levin family – who donated the property for the Gardens – saw an arbor in Central Park in New York City. She thought it would be a good idea for the Warsaw gardens.
She contacted the architect of the NYC arbor, David Robinson. When no local builders were interested in building an arbor for Warsaw, Robinson was asked to do it. He built it in New York, disassembled it, brought it to Warsaw and reassembled it here, Gunter said.
Then last year, “it started falling apart and we were concerned about it lasting,” Gunter said.
The unique project of rebuilding the arbor was “just a tremendous huge job,” Gunter said.
Robinson used unmilled black locust, white oak and mountain laurel and rhododendron for branches collected from three states out east. Woods used for the new arbor include white oak, black locust and red cedar – but all of it came from Kosciusko County.
Gardens board member Ann Zydek said, “I’m so pleased to have all the wood come from Kosciusko County. For myself, just coming into the garden, walking through the arbor, it is an awesome experience. It was something that needed to be done. This is a welcome addition that adds to the garden.”
“It’s just beautiful. It looks great,” Gunter said.
One of the volunteers on the arbor mentioned to Gunter that some of the beams were crooked. He told the volunteer that no apologies were necessary because it gave it character.
Larry Plummer, board member and Warsaw Parks Dept. superintendent, is Wiggs’ boss and encouraged the board to let Wiggs take a crack at the arbor. Plummer said, “I think he’s done an amazing job here. I’m proud of him. I’m proud that it was done locally and not in New York. It will be here for years, and it’s neat that a local citizen did this for the public to enjoy.”
He said Wiggs has an extensive background in carving and engraving and he knew Wiggs could handle the task. “I knew he had the background. The board knew he could handle the task,” Plummer said.
Board member Jon Garber also agreed the project looks great. “It adds a lot to the Biblical Gardens,” he said, noting that Wiggs is very talented.
Once the board approved Wiggs to go ahead with the project, his first step was tracking down the wood.
“It takes specific types of wood that are bug and rot resistant to allow it to last for so long outside in the weather. So there’s only certain types of wood that are good for it. We also wanted to stick with Biblical woods if it was possible. Oak and cedar were both mentioned loosely in the Bible so were appropriate for the Biblical Gardens project,” Wiggs said.
In his search for the right local wood, he found black locust, white oak and red cedar. A lot of the white oak came from the park system itself and a few other donors who all got on board for the project. The red cedar and some white oak came from the Biblical Gardens. The majority of the black locust was donated by George Hardie.
“Many truckloads were harvested. Every piece of it by hand had to be carried all the way and debarked, sized and multiple things had to be done to each log to prepare it for the project,” Wiggs explained. “It took a lot of help and a lot of man hours.”
He worked all winter preparing the wood.
“To do all of that work took basically the whole winter long. Each and every log was handled multiple times throughout the process ... with the work that needed to be done to it,” Wiggs said.
“I wanted the work to be done all winter long, and the old arbor to come down overnight and the new arbor to go up within a week. My goal was to build it within a week, even though the work was done throughout many months,” he continued.
As the work progressed, Wiggs kept the board involved and filled them in on the process. “Everyone was very encouraging,” he said.
Wiggs found some of the woods to be pretty sturdy. “Being bug and rot resistant also means they’re extremely dense hard wood, and working with that can wear down tools quickly and wear down your body quickly. It was very physical, very labor intensive. Each piece was done by hand. I pretty much expected that ahead of time though, it wasn’t too much of a shocker,” Wiggs said of the project’s challenges.
Luckily, he had volunteers who provided a lot of “really great help,” he said. “It’s really neat to see what will happen when people come together and put their time in. Great things can happen when that happens. We were even able to get the kids involved throughout the project and they were very proud they were able to put their time in also. It’s nice to see so many people come together for something.”
He said every step was taken to make it possible for his grandchildren to walk through the arbor one day, from using thicker and heavier logs to a penetrating sealant on the wood.
“Basically, we took the old idea and improved on it every way we could,” Wiggs said.
By the time the new arbor was completed, he said every goal he set was met.
“Everything came together right on time. It was really nice,” Wiggs said. “I’m thankful for the Biblical Gardens board to put their trust in me to lead this project.”
The Gardens opened for the season April 15. When people see the new arbor, Wiggs said he hopes they enjoy it.
“The old one was a focal point of the Gardens, especially for wedding photos, and the Gardens itself. I would love for it to fill those shoes – be a place where you take beautiful photos and walk through it and feel like you’re a part of nature. Feel like you’re somewhere special,” Wiggs said.
“It really gives you a sense of being in touch with roots,” Zydek said.
Wiggs grew up in Syracuse and graduated from Wawasee High School. His art includes wood carvings and engravings.
“I’ve been taking on larger and larger projects and challenges,” he said. “I love a large project like this. It’s a challenge and it pushes my ability. It’s great to do something that so many people will be able to enjoy for so many years to come.”
Next, he said he has larger art projects he’d like to make down the road, which are in the works already.
“I’m always trying to make something unique that I’ve never seen before or something to challenge myself. Every new project is something different,” he said.[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092