As with most great achievements, Sholom Park began as a vision, born in the hearts of Sidney and Ina Colen. Inspired by a visit to Boston Gardens, Sholom Park was created for a purpose; to provide a place where the pursuit of inner peace and learning may be enhanced and enjoyed. The park was named after Sidney Colen’s grandfather, Sholom, which is also the Hebrew word for peace. The park does not serve a political or religious agenda or belief system.

 

After years of conceptualizing the vision, a master plan for the park was developed in 1999 and the park concepts began to take shape. In 2001, horticulturist, Steve Curl was hired to oversee the final design and construction of Sholom Park as the vision came to life. On October 17, 2004, Sholom Park celebrated its grand opening and ribbon cutting along with hundreds of friends and supporters.

 

Sholom Parks landscape was designed to thrive in the Central Florida climate. The park requires little or no supplemental watering. Native plants are combined with cultivated ornamentals, perennials, and annuals creating a beautiful and resilient landscape. Sholom Park offers a place of natural beauty, comprised of green meadows, colorful gardens, and shaded woodlands. The park is home to native wildlife including numerous bird species, making Sholom Park a birdwatcher’s paradise. Paved trails lead you through open prairies and under the shaded canopies of live oaks, hickories, and long leaf pine trees. Tribute benches are strategically placed throughout the park allowing guests a place to rest, relax, and reflect.

 

When you visit Sholom Park, you are encouraged to find your own symbolism in nature. Be mindful of what you see and feel with your heart. Perhaps you will find inspiration, something bold or brilliant, or something simple and sacred that soothes your soul. If your goal is introspection, meditation, health, nature, or just a few moments of fresh air, Sholom Park is a place where everyone may experience their own feelings of peace, joy, and contentment. It is the hope that Sholom Park will be a seed of peace that grows within the hearts of all who visit and spreads throughout the world.

Sholom Park’s mission is to perpetuate Sidney and Ina Colen’s vision of a place where the pursuit of inner peace and learning may be enhanced and enjoyed. Sholom Park seeks to become a model of land stewardship and the preservation of open space for education and public enjoyment.