How will Denton Parks & Rec commemorate the Chairy Orchard? You help decide

“If we learned anything from the closure is people really loved it,” said Caroline Seward, an administration manager at the department. “They were very sad to see it go and have a lot of feelings about it. So, we want to make sure we’re honoring it in the best way possible.”

Along with leaving comments online, the Parks and Rec department will take feedback at the city’s July Jubilee event on July 3 at the Denton Courthouse on the Square.

The department started discussions with the owners and their families not long after the announcement. Parks and Recreation Director Gary Packan said the department recognized timing was essential because they learned people were taking souvenirs right away.

“We immediately grabbed a handful of staff vehicles and went out there and talked with Mrs. Smith,” Packan said. “We said, ‘We’d like to take this now so we have it and figure out what to do with it long term.' It was critical we make sure we preserve some stuff for the public good.

"If it’s in someone’s backyard, they wouldn’t be able to enjoy it like it was.”

The department grabbed the “Very Big Chair,” the chair archway and the love lock display among other chairs from the public space. Management analyst Omar Siddiqi said the department hopes citizens might donate some of the pieces they took as souvenirs, as well.

But in displaying these items, the department doesn’t expect to recreate the exact same unique experience of the original Chairy Orchard.

“The Chairy Orchard inspired people because it really is a piece of art that is just for art’s sake,” Siddiqi said.

“Nobody’s trying to use it to sell anything. It’s just these two women who, in a sort of whimsy, decided to put together a little orchard. … I think to tap into that impulse is really important. It’d be great for us to try to appreciate even just a little bit of that spark of whimsy in whatever we do.”

It’s still very much in the brainstorming phase and could take some money to execute the community’s wants and needs, Packan said.

“Denton’s a creative community and we feel it’s important to get their input,” he said. “That provides some ideas. Maybe some idea of locations that it could go to. There still needs to be a lot of work and planning for any of those locations.”

One of the challenges the department faces in displaying the chairs is how it can maintain them. So, there might be some limitations in what ideas the department can actually execute.

The creators of the Chairy Orchard, neighbors Judy Smith and Ann Pearson, said that, along with some vandalism incidents, the upkeep of the orchard was exhaustive. Smith told the Record-Chronicle earlier in June that she and Pearson went hunting for chairs every weekend because of how often they would deteriorate.

“The maintenance is made difficult just by the nature of the materials. They’re not really made for outdoor use and naturally degrade over time,” Siddiqi said. “ … The other consideration we have is how people will be using this place all the time. There’s going to be kids that climb on the chairs and we have to be aware of that sort of wear and tear.”

But, mostly, the department is just excited to hear what people have to say about the future of the orchard, Siddiqi said. While Siddiqi has been reading the comments people left on social media with suggestions, he said it would be nice to have more feedback in a central place.

Citizens can visit the Chairy Orchard Project webpage on the Discuss Denton website to provide ideas. If citizens sign up for the project’s email list, they will received updates about the project. After the department gathers feedback, it will hold a public meeting on July 13 to discuss its findings.