Volume 51 |
ISSUE 4: October 18, 2018

Garden adds a new area for reflection outside Heinz Chapel

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

The Heinz Memorial Chapel Garden was officially dedicated over Homecoming weekend, with many donors in attendance.

The formal European garden, located just off Bellefield Avenue, has hydrangeas, boxwoods, stone paths, benches and a three-tiered fountain that aligns with the center of the chapel. The fountain is dedicated to Pat Gibbons, who has been director of the chapel for 30 years.

Elements within the garden are available for naming, and many of the donors in attendance came to see their names etched in stone. Sponsoring a bench costs $10,000 and pavers are $2,000 to $5,000, depending on their size. There are several still available to sponsor. The money raised funded the construction of the garden and will help establish an endowment for its upkeep.

Construction on the garden, which was designed by Klavon Design Associates and built by Mosites Construction, started in March and was completed in September.

  • Overall shot of Heinz Chapel Garden
    The Heinz Memorial Chapel Garden was started in March and completed in September. (Aimee Obidzinski/University of Pittsburgh)
  • Bench at garden
    Donors can buy naming rights to benches at the garden, like this one from retired business professor William Neff and his wife Joyce Masquelier Neff. (Aimee Obidzinski/University of Pittsburgh)
  • Pat Gibbins and J. Roger Glunt
    Patricia Gibbons, longtime director of Heinz Memorial Chapel, and J. Roger Glunt, emeritus trustee on the Pitt Board of Trustees, at the dedication of the new garden. (Aimee Obidzinski/University of Pittsburgh)
  • Ribbon cutting at garden
    Cutting the ribbon at the new Heinz Chapel garden are, left to right: Kris Davitt, vice chancellor for development and alumni relations; Julie Seavy, director of regional major gifts; Dina Klavon, owner of Klavon Design Associates; Patricia Gibbons, director of Heinz Chapel; J. Roger Glunt, emeritus trustee of the Pitt Board of Trustees; and Will Mitchell, director of Facility Services at Pitt. (Aimee Obidzinski/University of Pittsburgh)