Ben's Circular Tower
Ben’s Circular Tower is living memorial to a child in the Mission Hill community who died of cancer at the age of 3. It is sited on top of a hill that commands a dramatic 180-degree view of the park. The inside of the Tower is shaped as an amphitheater with seating around a glass rock. The glass rock is illuminated from below using solar powered lighting. After sundown the glass rock glows, giving the piece a presence even in the dark. The granite stones that form the Tower are recycled from a demolished railroad bridge. Designed as a place for storytelling, the Tower engages children's fantasies with references to castles. The memorial fund initiated by the child’s mother is paying for an active story-telling program administered by the local library.