LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- The Lakewood YMCA recently opened Susan’s Garden, which was created to honor the memory of YMCA Board of Directors member Susan Conway Grimberg and her husband, Bill.
“When the Lakewood YMCA went through a capital project, Susan Grimberg was one of the key volunteers making sure the fundraising effort was a success,” YMCA Chief Operations Officer Joe Cerny said.
“Not only that, she was a critical volunteer for the community-based work we were doing. Over the years, she stayed on the committee and was involved with the YMCA.
“After learning of her passing in the prior year, we really wanted to find a way to honor the commitment she had to the work of the YMCA. So we talked with the family, and the dedication and development of Susan’s Garden grew out of that.
“We wanted to do something special for her memory.”
Susan’s Garden was dedicated Sept. 18, which would have been her 73rd birthday. She passed away in 2021.
Funded using donations and YMCA operating dollars, the new $25,000 green space will be utilized for programming such as yoga, youth development classes and family engagement.
“It’s gorgeous,” Cerny said. “We have boxwoods and hydrangeas. One of the key plants we have in there right now are black-eyed Susans for the memory of Susan. We’re putting annuals in based on the season. Right now, you’ve got mums all over the place as well.
“We also put in an accessible picnic table. We wanted to make sure that everyone would be able to use this with an umbrella. We put in bird feeders as well. Coming in the spring, once our grass fully grows in, we’ll have a couple of additional benches.”
Already, YMCA members have begun using the space for group exercise classes, while the staff can be found eating lunch in the garden.
Asked what Grimberg would say about having a YMCA green space named in her honor, Cerny didn’t hesitate.
“I think you’d see a big smile from Susan, especially when you see kids out here and people using the space,” Cerny said. “She would be just ecstatic that it is now usable space that’s impacting the community in a positive way.
“Her nature was she wanted to do more for Lakewood and make this community someplace where people could gather. I think she’s really smiling down and seeing that.”
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