Posted: July 25, 2022
The Master Gardeners of Wyoming County lent helping hands to revitalize a treasured living willow play structure.
The Giving Tunnel at Tunkhannock's Riverside Park
In 2004, the Wyoming County Cultural Center was pleased to engage basketry artist Bonnie Gale to teach classes. Gale was also a living willow artist. "Would you like to plant one in Tunkhannock," she asked Margie Young, Founding Program Director of the Cultural Center. Young recruited Board Member Sandy Vieczorek to help her fund the project, resulting in the first living willow design at Tunkhannock's Riverside Park.
Gale arrived with the willow rods and the design to create a playground dome - a place for children to explore and find a shady hideout. After five years of enjoyment, wear and tear necessitated the help of Gale once again. The structure needed a new shape. Gale brought more willow rods and a new design. With the help of volunteers, Tumble Down Tunnel was the renewed living willow structure to be explored. For many years, volunteers from the Dietrich Theater and Diane Secor trimmed the tunnel.
In 2022, overgrowth necessitated another rejuvenation. Amy Colley recruited fellow Penn State Extension Master Gardeners to help restore the form of the tunnel. Master Gardener volunteers contributed many hours weaving the overgrown living willow rods into the shape of the tunnel and carefully pruning them to refresh the unique and inviting playground structure.
The Master Gardeners and the Dietrich Theater requested to dedicate the revitalized tunnel "The Giving Tunnel" in honor of Sandy Vieczorek who gave so much to the local community. The Master Gardeners would like to thank Creekside Gardens for the contribution of mulch and Margie Young and Erica Rogler of the Dietrich Theater for their encouragement of this project.
