News

The Children's Garden at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, continues to move in a positive direction.

Thanks to the gracious contribution from Mr. David Quasius, for the donation of multiple larger-than-life concrete sculptures from his home in Old Man Bay, North Side.  These unique sculptures were designed and constructed by Mr. Quasius, who first began constructing small sculptures in 1999, for his garden. However, once he began and saw the enthusiasm and interest of passers-by, and the joy it brought, he become captivated and in 2010 began constructing larger and larger sculptures to the delight of his audience. These larger pieces would take approximately 7 weeks for him to complete; utilising sand and mortar, with each piece weighing approximately 1,500 to 2,000 pounds. When asked what he will miss the most about Cayman, he stated “Without a doubt, it will be chatting with visitors coming to my Concrete Park and hearing the laughter of the children as they discover each of the large animal sculptures. I would get approximately 3,000 visitors a year from all over the world.  It was fun.” He then went on to say, “Although some might consider the concrete sculptures as my gift to the Park, I believe the real gift will be the laughter of children running from one over-sized sculpture to another with their parents and grandparents in tow.”

The Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park Children’s Garden is honoured to be the chosen recipient of such a large and unique collection of sculptures and have  earmarked special locations throughout the Children’s Garden to become the permanent home for these unique sculptures as part of the Parks’ attraction to be enjoyed by the children and adults alike.  Patrick Thompson, Director of the Tourism Attraction Board was elated by Mr. Quasius generous contribution.  “We are excited and grateful for such a wonderful donation. These remarkable pieces will add lots of fun and excitement for our budding scientists who dare to venture out to the Children’s Garden. It is all in line with the concept of the Garden, to get kids outdoors where they can experience nature at its finest and learn as they play. Thanks to Mr. Quasius for the pieces and to all who played a part in making their relocation come to fruition.”

After weeks of coordinating with volunteers, heavy equipment operator and staff, we were able to safely relocate the some of the massive sculptures on Saturday, 10 September 2022 with the expert assistance of Stuart Broadbelt and Cecil, Cody Kaufman of Kaufman’s Lift & Load and Joseph Betty.

Mr. John Lawrus, Manager of the QE II Botanic Park and  brainchild of the Children’s Garden, was also overjoyed by the thoughtful contribution of Mr. Quasuis, "It is incredible to have them in the Children's Garden where kids and adults can enjoy seeing native and regional animals in giant proportions! The Children's Garden is an incredible asset for the people of the Cayman Islands and all our visitors as well. A safe place where children can learn passively through play as well as through structured learning is what the Children's Garden is all about. This donation along with all of our previous donations and gifts in kind further encourages the community support that we enjoy."

The sculptures were meticulously placed throughout the Children’s Garden, and with a few minor repairs, Ivan the Blue Iguana, Claudette the Land Crab, Romenio the Cuban Crocodile, Whelkcome the giant Whelk, Tommie the Turtle, and Aculeus the Cayman Scorpion will  soon be available for all to enjoy.  The Botanic Park’s objective for the Children’s Garden is to provide a space that our children can call their own; where they can play and enjoy the outdoors while learning about their island’s natural habitat. By all accounts it is not only a fantastic way to engage children through tangible learning, but also a place for the young at heart to enjoy.

We hope to complete the Children’s Garden in the near future, however, due to the fact that we rely heavily on donor funding, we are continuously seeking donations and gifts in kind to complete this great asset for  the Cayman Islands.

To learn how you or your company can donate to the Children’s Garden, please email manager@botanic-park.ky or call 947-9462.