​NOVA Awarded Grant To Restore Victims Arbor At Core Creek Park

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — NOVA has received a beautification grant from Bucks Beautiful to support enhancements to its Victims Commemorative Arbor located at Core Creek Park in Middletown Township.

Established in 1998 by families of homicide victims with the support of the Bucks County Commissioners, the NOVA Remembrance Garden is a sacred and peaceful space dedicated to honoring victims of crime and offering a place of reflection and healing.

The recent grant from Bucks Beautiful, totaling $2,500, allowed for critical landscaping and restoration work to revitalize the site and preserve its legacy as a place of connection, memory, and renewal.

NOVA, Bucks County’s comprehensive crime victim services agency, received a $2,500 restoration grant from Bucks Beautiful to support enhancements to the commemorative arbor at the NOVA Remembrance Garden, located in Core Creek Park in Middletown Township. (Courtesy of NOVA)

The restoration included removal of invasive species, soil remediation, the installation of native, low-maintenance plantings, new topsoil and mulch, and the addition of a cordless electric watering system. These updates will help ensure long-term sustainability and vibrancy while honoring the garden's original mission. Specific plantings included deer-resistant shrubs as well as native ornamental grasses.

The Arbor now features:

• 25 newly installed native shrubs and grasses
• Refreshed soil and mulch throughout the garden
• A sustainable watering system for consistent maintenance
• A renewed commitment to monthly landscape care through NOVA and local contractors

"We are incredibly grateful to Bucks Beautiful for their generous support of this meaningful restoration," said Angela McGettigan, Senior Director of Operations and Community Engagement, NOVA. "The Arbor has long been a space where community members can come to grieve, reflect, and heal. Thanks to this grant, we’ve been able to restore the garden’s beauty and purpose, ensuring it remains a sanctuary for those affected by violence."

In addition to the Arbor’s day-to-day use, it also serves as the annual site of NOVA’s Candlelight Tribute for Victims of Crime, held each May. The tribute brings together survivors, advocates, and community members for an evening of remembrance that includes music, storytelling, and interactive art. The restored garden includes memorials dedicated to victims of homicide, the events of 9/11, and fallen law enforcement officers. Since its creation, it has served as a community touchstone—symbolizing strength, unity, and hope in the face of loss.