This page describes the objectives, the work already done, the accomplishments of 2012 and the 2013 projects. You will find all possibilities to help the Association to become a member or a volunteer, or make a donation to the Association, monetary or else.
If you want to join immediately without going through the page, click here to open the membership form to the Association.
Thank you for any help you can provide to the Association.
Great first results for the Association
Discover the work already achieved
Discover the 2013 works
Become an Association member
Become a volunteer
Buy a park goodie or souvenir
Donate material or money
Why join the association ?
The Association des Amis de Saint Symphorien, the way forward
The Association des Amis de Saint Symphorien aims at renovating the Parc before the opening to the public.
By creating the association, the desire was to make the project of Saint Symphorien wider open to all those who love the park and want to help the implementation of an ambitious project. And it is now more than 75 persons who actively support the project as participants or volunteers. If you like the park, the project can become your project. Join us!
In 2012, to begin reviving the Park in the region, and to raise funds to accelerate renovations, the Association opened exceptionally the Park for 2 weekends during "Rendez-vous aux Jardins" in June and "Les Journées du Patrimoine" in September:
These openings were a great success: During the weekend of June, 1.043 people visited the park. This has placed the Park # 1 place visited across the Manche Departement that weekend (data: Regional Direction for Cultural Affairs).
During the weekend of September, 687 people visited the park, putting the park in the 18th position among 600 places open during the "Journées du patrimoine" in the Manche Departement.
The atmosphere, entertainment and all the events of the opening day are visible on the News page.
For 2013, the Association continues its momentum by giving greater scope to its action in opening the park one weekend per month between May and September and providing new spaces for visitors to discover.
Whether you love parks, animals or art, or the three of them, help us reviving this great place and creating a unique discovery park.
The work already done
Since the establishment of the Association, many projects have been successfully completed. Here are all the achievements that have made the openings of 2012 possible.
- Cleaning and "déronçage" of the English Garden
Cleaning of the giant rhododendrons and of the paths around them; clarification of the witches’circle. - Renovation of the Tearoom and its furniture
Renovation of interior furniture (tables, chairs, bar) and cleaning of stairs, flowerbeds around the Tearoom. - Development of flower beds in the Garden area
In the azaleas path; cleaning of hydrangeas bushes,; cleaning of the entrances to the Park (old and new entries) - Construction of the Dwarf animals enclosure
These pens welcome Ouessant sheep, shetland ponies, sheep and llamas in Cameroon. - Construction of the enclosure of the upper part of the park
To accommodate the aurochs, Highland cattle of Scotland, the buffalo on one side and Jacob sheep, on the other.
Projects for 2013
The ambition is great for 2013 and projects to be completed before the first opening end of May, are numerous:
- Restoration of the laundry washhouse and implementation of a path around the ponds
Put right the castle’s old washhouse, clear ponds to allow visitors to walk along the creek and ponds.
- Renovation of entrances
Build protection for the walls, clean the giant grids, and paint them.
- Construction of the enclosures of the middle of the park
To host zebus and watusis on one side, and horses and donkeys, on the other. Implementation of posts and fences. Construction of their houses.
- Create presentation boards and orientation
To accompany the new opening of the center part of the park.
- Renovation of roads and clearing the way near the deers and the Dolmen
Release of the old wolves enclosure, road rehabilitation, better organisation around the dolmen.
To help, you can co-finance the projects of the park by becoming a member
It’s only membership fees and donation that enable the Association to invest in the renovation of the park. By joining the Association, you allow the Parc to move forward toward its reopening objective. A membership entitles you to a free entrance in one of the opening days of 2013.
2013 membership fees are set at € 19 per single, € 32 for a couple and € 50 for an association or a company. Simply download the membership form and send it to us.
To help, you can give a hand during a "Volunteer Week-end"
We also propose to volunteers to participate in the work of restoring the park during our "Weekend volunteers." Three weekends will take place before the first opening: March 23rd & 24th, April 20th & 21st, and May 4th & 5th. You can read on the News page, the minutes of all the volunteer weekends in 2011 and 2012. The work to be done will be organised and directed by the Parc’s team. You will discover the park, the people and the project for real!
As a volunteer participant in this weekend, you will be exempt from membership fees and will be integrated to the association automatically.
To volunteer, please indicate so by sending us an email and we will contact you with all aspects of the organization.
Buying a gift is helping the Park.
Offering one of our goodies helps the Park Association, as all profits are given back to the Association. Choose from our selection:
- Logo sticker - size: 7,5 cm x 5cm - 1 € /sticker
- Logo magnet - size: 5cm x 3,5 cm - 2 € /magnet
- Selection of postcards of the park and of the artists - prices adjusted according to the number of cards. Click here to view selections and the according prices.
- * Park cap with logo - white and navy blue - 8 €. Click here to see the cap.
- * Ceramic mug with logo - 6,50 €. Click here to see the mug.
The prices include VAT and do not include shipping.
To order, click here and tell us what you want to order in the body of mail. You will be delivered quickly upon receipt of payment (check, credit card, paypal).
Enjoy!
To help the Park to move faster, you can make a donation
Membership fees only cover partially the financing needs of the Association for the realization of projects. With membership fees only, the opening project will probably take several years to complete.
If you want to help us accelerate the pace of renovations and help us to open more quickly, you can make a donation to the association. To do this, complete the donation form and return it to the Association.
You can make a monetary donation or a donation of objects and raw materials.
For the implementation of its various projects and the openings of 2013, the Association would need the following elements:
- treated poles and posts, ropes for pens
- doors and gates, new or already used for the building of the enclosures
- sand and gravel for the rehabilitation of roads
- exterior paint black (grids), white or green (wood)
- chicken wire
- gloves, helmets, protective boots for volunteers
- gardening tools: shears, spade, rake ...
- water collectors and gutters, new, used or retype to equip animal enclosures
Thank you for your generosity and your participation in the project.
In short, why join the Association?
- To participate in the creation of a unique place for curious minds, mixing landscapes, animals and contemporary art
- To help the South of Manche to create a touristic attraction, providing visitors and employment
- To benefit from a regular information on the project’s improvements and the use of the funds by the Association
The park commits itself to
- 100% of your subscription and donation used for the Parc’s project
- 100% transparency on the funds usage
- 100% on a local usage of the funds
- 100% protection of your personal data