North Platte Teen Restores Rose Klemm Memorial Garden

By Allison Peck

DeAngelo Mata: North Platte High School senior DeAngelo Mata stands among the new rose bushes he planted as part of his effort to restore the Rose Klemm Memorial Rose Garden at Centennial Park. (Courtesy Photo)

A North Platte High School senior is giving new life to a longtime garden at Centennial Park.

DeAngelo Mata, working with Keep North Platte and Lincoln County Beautiful and the City of North Platte, recently restored the Rose Klemm Memorial Rose Garden at the southeast corner of the park.

Before: The Rose Klemm Memorial Rose Garden at Centennial Park had become overgrown and in need of rejuvenation before the restoration project. (Courtesy Photo)

The project included removing old mulch to level the garden beds, weeding, adjusting the drip irrigation system, planting 14 new rose bushes and adding fresh mulch.

“I enjoyed being able to help my community by restoring a garden in my local park and also beautifying the town with this act,” Mata said.

After: Fresh mulch and newly planted rose bushes give the Rose Klemm Memorial Rose Garden at Centennial Park a renewed appearance following the restoration project. (Courtesy Photo)

Mata, who is interested in pursuing exterior design and landscape architecture in college, is currently employed by Luxe Landscaping and Design. The company donated the new mulch for the project.

The City of North Platte Public Service Department helped prepare the garden beds for replanting, while the Mata family and Keep North Platte and Lincoln County Beautiful donated the new rose bushes.

Mata handled the irrigation work, planted the roses and laid the new mulch. Sage Luther, Kayden Fisher and Cameron Berliner also joined him to help with the project.

Delicia Mata said the young people encouraged each other as they worked and took pride in knowing they would be able to see the garden in the future and remember that they helped restore it.

“DeAngelo seeking out a way to serve our community and then tackling a project of this magnitude with the enthusiasm he had was awesome,” said Anna Maurya, outreach and education director for Keep North Platte and Lincoln County Beautiful. “The city jumping in to support the project and DeAngelo involving more young people proves that one person taking the initiative can rally a community.”

After: Fourteen new rose bushes were planted as part of the restoration of the Rose Klemm Memorial Rose Garden. (Courtesy Photo)

The Rose Klemm Memorial Rose Garden was dedicated in July 1999, following Rose Klemm’s death in December 1998. The garden has traditionally been maintained by volunteers and underwent a similar rejuvenation effort in 2010.

Going forward, the garden will need regular weeding and consistent trimming and pruning of the roses. Community members or groups interested in helping maintain the garden can contact Keep North Platte and Lincoln County Beautiful at 308-534-8100.