Special Recognition

David Gade

Through his passion for roses, David Gade became a member of the American Rose Society (ARS), an accredited rose judge, and an ARS Master Rosarian. Along with his wife Sharon Martin Gade, David helped found and create the Rose Garden Restoration Committee in 1995 that effectively saved the rose garden.

Dave and Sharon both became members of the Schenectady Rose Society in 1976 and thus was born their lifelong love of roses. Dave met Charlie Brown, the rose garden’s original designer, he became Dave’s mentor in everything about roses. At one point the Gade’s home garden grew to include five hundred rose bushes.

But Dave’s significant contribution was when City of Schenectady Parks director Bill Seber tapped him to find a way to save the Central Park Rose Garden in 1995 after many years of steady decline due to the city staff and budget cuts to maintain the garden. Thus, the Rose Garden Restoration Committee (RGRC) was born, by a band of citizen activists who gathered volunteers to work in the rose garden. In 2015 the City of Schenectady bestowed Dave its highest honor and award by naming him a “Patroon” of the city.

Dave served as RGRC board president for 10 years before stepping aside in 2005 to become Garden Operations Supervisor, a position held until his passing in 2023.

During those 28 years, Dave dedicated himself to the rose garden, whether he was making new rose selections, guiding the garden’s care and maintenance program, training volunteers, or sharing his infinite wisdom and knowledge of roses.

We are forever grateful to Dave, who was happiest when he was in the garden either tending to the bushes he loved or sharing stories with the many visitors. Though a very modest man, one who shied away from accolades, it is through Dave that the vision of Charlie Brown who brought forth a design for a rose garden in Central Park lives on, and the dream of Mr. Charles Carl, Jr. who wished to see the Central Park Rose Garden become a “showpiece” landmark of the northeast.

All these men share the legacy of what now is the beautiful Central Park Rose Garden we have today.

Charles Carl Jr.

We would be remiss if we failed to give special recognition to our “garden angel” Charles W. Carl, Jr. Mr. Carl, former owner of the Carl Company and a dedicated rosarian, became a major benefactor of the rose garden in 1996. As a lover and grower of roses, this philanthropist and community leader could see the benefits of having a viable public rose showplace. It is through his vision and legacy that the garden continues to flourish.

The Rose Garden Restoration Committee received a grant from the Schenectady Foundation to recognize Mr. Carl’s philanthropy to the Rose Garden. A plaque was installed in the garden honoring his contributions to the Schenectady community he so loved.

The Rose Garden Restoration Committee would further like to recognize: the Schenectady Foundation, the William Gundry Broughton Foundation, the Capiello Festa Italiana Committee, the Carlilian Foundation and the NYS Legislature on behalf of grants received from them to assist in furthering our capital improvement projects.

We would also like to thank the children of Charles Brown, his son Sid Brown and his wife Doris, daughter Mernie Brown and the entire Brown family for their many years of continued support, loan of photographic and historic resources and constant source of encouragement to the Rose Garden Restoration Committee.

The Rose Garden Restoration Committee has given special recognition over the years to individuals and businesses for their services and support of the Central Park Rose Garden.

Recipients of the Charles Carl Jr. Honorary Award include:

2008 Rob Diedrich
2009 Dave Gade
2010 Skip Sgarlata
2011 Ralph Blackwood and Nancy Nicholas
2012 Mary Moore Wallinger
2013 CHA, Inc.
2014 Sid and Doris Brown and Mernie Brown
2015 Price Chopper’s Golub Foundation
2016 The Gade Farm
2017 The Carlilian Foundation
2018 The Estate of Libby Cummings and Dede Cummings Andersen
2019 The Daily Gazette

We would also like to recognize the following organizations and individuals who were instrumental in helping us achieve our Central Park Rose Garden Master Plan goals:

The Carlilian Foundation
The Schenectady Foundation
The William Gundry Broughton Foundation
The NYS Legislature (Senate and Assembly)
Ralph Blackwood and Nancy Nicholas
The Brown Family