UCLA’s Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden received a $1 million donation to help start renovations in the seven-acre garden located in South Campus near the David Geffen School of Medicine, the university announced this week.
The donation comes from Morton La Kretz, a UCLA alumnus and namesake of La Kretz Hall. The money will be used to build a new entrance to the garden – the first in a series of renovations intended to increase the garden’s visibility, improve its infrastructure and make it more accessible to disabled individuals, according to a UCLA press release.
“(La Kretz) shares our vision and commitment to developing the beautiful garden’s full potential to serve the campus and community,” said Victoria Sork, dean of the UCLA Division of Life Sciences, in the press release. “The garden is a cherished part of our campus but has been desperately in need of improved infrastructure and maintenance for its continued role in education and outreach.”
Sork said she envisions “new possibilities” for the garden through private funding, some of which include a new welcome center, two classrooms, artistic events and a medicinal herb garden.
“This is a hidden gem on the UCLA campus,” La Kretz said in the university statement. “I’m delighted to be able to lend my support to such an important UCLA asset.”
Compiled by Naheed Rajwani, Bruin senior staff.