New Garden Planned To Honor Retiring Mayor Rosenthal

DEERFIELD, IL — Dan Shapiro, the new mayor of Deerfield, didn't waste any time Monday night in honoring his predecessor. Just minutes after being sworn in at the Village Board meeting, Shapiro announced the future creation of a new garden dedicated to retiring former Mayor Harriet Rosenthal.

"[She] will be greatly missed by her colleagues, village staff and residents, who know her to be a true friend to Deerfield," Shapiro said as part of an official proclamation honoring Rosenthal.

Designed by landscape architect Trustee Mary Oppenheim, the garden will feature walking paths and benches from which the public can view Village Hall’s landscaping and public art. The garden will be planted this summer and a formal dedication ceremony will be held in the early fall.

"It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as mayor of Deerfield for 12 years, trustee for 24 years and about eight years before that on the Plan Commission," Rosenthal said Monday night. "To say this is a bittersweet farewell is an understatement, but I do believe there are beginnings and endings. Just as I began my public service over 40 years ago, it's time to gracefully end it.

The goal of the project, according to a news release, is to make a special place that recognizes and honors all that Harriet has contributed to Deerfield and that ties in to and celebrates the existing landscape of Village Hall.

The garden aims to "invite people in, enables and encourages them to gather together, and shows them the beauty and grace that our former Mayor has worked so tirelessly to create for us all," according to the news release.

"I truly believe we're all fortunate to call Deerfield home. I often joke with [Village Manager] Kent [Street] that living in Deerfield is like living in a bubble. Every now and then, that bubble gets poked, but we are able to recover and our bubble is whole again," Rosenthal said. "Together, we have accomplished a great deal."

Outgoing Trustee Barbara Struthers, who has been on the board since 2009, was also honored at the meeting for her service. She opted to not run for reelection in April.

Struthers, a Deerfield resident for more than 35 years, has been involved in a number of community groups including the Village Center Development Commission, Rotary Club, League of Women Voters, Southeast Lake County Mosquito Abatement District.

"[She] has provided outstanding leadership and service to the residents, businesses and visitors of Deerfield by improving their quality of life through her many years of distinguished service," Shapiro said during a proclamation honoring Struthers.

Stay Patched In!

• Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest Deerfield news
• Check out the Events Calendar for what's going on in Deerfield
• Like our Crime page on Facebook
• Patch Mobile: Get app for iPhone and Android