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Mother Meres Park restoration completed earlier than planned.

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BY MARK SCHANTZ

THE SUNCOAST NEWS

Published: October 31, 2009

TARPON SPRINGS - A restoration effort by the Garden Club of Tarpon Springs to provide a major facelift to Mother Meres Park will be completed earlier than scheduled.

Pat McKibbin, Garden Club president, said she was amazed at how everyone has gotten together to assist the club in totally refurbishing the park that abuts downtown's main parking area at Tarpon and Pinellas avenues.

Reconstruction of the park should be completed in a few months, rather than a year or two as first thought, she said.

The preliminary phase of the project, including removal of dead plants and debris, has been completed with help from youngsters at the Tarpon Springs Boys and Girls Club and city park's division staff, she said.

"We could not do all this without their help. They have been wonderful. My faith in the younger generation has been restored. The city has been amazing in its support," McKibbin said.

The park has been redesigned as part of its makeover. Tall hedges in front of the park that faced Tarpon Avenue have been removed and will be moved to the back of the park, abutting the parking area. They will be replaced with smaller colorful bushes that will make it easier to see inside the park from the street, she explained.

"It opens up the whole park area, making it much more visible," she said.

The large urn dedicated to Mother Meres will be replanted with native plants. Walkways are being added, along with colorful native plants and bushes to take advantage of the park's length.

McKibbin said the Garden Club donated several hundred dollars worth of plants to the project.

The improvements will coincide with the city landscaping of its abutting parking area and medians on the Pinellas Avenue side.

City Manager Mark LeCouris said greenspace will be added to the city-owned municipal lot without reducing any parking area, which is of a premium downtown.

In its heyday a much larger Meres Park was the center of social gatherings and included a pavilion. Several decades ago much of it was paved to create additional parking for downtown.

In 1923, the Garden Club and Women's Club planted a tree and placed a cast-iron floral urn on the spot that housed the garden and homestead of Amelia Petzold Meres. One of the city's founders, the woman known as Mother Meres died that year. The 3,000 square feet of remaining greenspace stands as a lasting tribute to Mother Meres. The Garden Club has cared for it more than 80 years.

The Tarpon Springs Boys and Girls Club, city parks staff and volunteers from other groups will assist in the landscaping and planting from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7. The Garden Club will also hold a plant sale during the landscaping event.

LeCouris said the park is one of the city's treasures, a gateway welcoming visitors downtown. He said he has had fond memories of the park stretching back to when he was a youngster. He said he has heard many stories and seen photographs of how the park looked in its glory days and wants to restore some of its greenery.

McKibbin, the Garden Club president, said anyone willing to help with the landscaping or make a donation should call 727-847-6449.

Mark Schantz can be reached at 727-815-1075 or mschantz@suncoastnews.com.

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