Supporters ceremonially broke ground on the first phase of a plan to beautify the High Falls area Thursday.
Friends of the GardenAerial has raised 75 percent of the funds needed to build the Flour Garden that will adorn the 300-foot-long mill race near the Genesee River Gorge.
Board Chair Lisa Baron explains this is only the first of a three phrase project to green spaces that will attract more people to the city center.
“Creating green space is very important to all Rochesterians and making the city much more livable. When the city is livable people want to be there,” said Baron.
The larger project will include walking areas and a new pedestrian bridge over the high falls.
Co-Founder Michael Philipson calls the area a perfect fit for a city center green space.
“I think the project will be successful because it really builds on a natural resource. We're not trying to come in here and create something completely different that might last 3 or 4 years. We're using the biggest natural resource the city has which we believe is the High Falls and the Gorge of the Genesee to create a real destination that will be viable,” said Philipson.
Partial funding for the first phase of the project comes from a $500,000 grant from the state and $134,000 from the city of Rochester.