FERGUS – The Fergus and District Horticultural Society held a little celebration on Sept. 23 to mark the completion of the makeover of BT Corner.
The little township-owned triangular piece of land at the corner of Queen and Bridge streets in Fergus, across from the Fergus Marketplace, had been an eyesore for many years.
The former garden was installed in 2010 with much fanfare.
It was a project of the heritage society of the day intended as a tribute to the Beatty family, which was so important to the growth of Fergus.
Perrin Beatty, who held many cabinet positions under Prime Ministers Joe Clark, Kim Campbell and Stephen Harper, attended the grand opening that honoured his family.
While the horticultural society maintains the gardens there, over time weeds in the gravel dust surface would not go away and the space always had an unkempt look to it.
They had a landscape plan drawn up some years ago, but it was never high on the township’s list of priorities and horticultural society members couldn’t afford to do the work themselves.
That’s when Bert and Marilyn Peel stepped in.
Both are members of the hort society and were aware of the vision for the space.
They decided to donate the money for the reno, and the project wrapped up on Tuesday.
“We just feel God has blessed us and we want to give back to the community,” Marylin told the Advertiser.
Members of the Fergus and District Horticultural Society enjoy some social time in the newly-renovated garden and hope the rest of the community will enjoy the new space too.
“We moved to Centre Wellington 28 years ago and it’s been such a joy living here,” said Bert.
“This is our way of giving back.”
Club president Mary-Ann Branciere said she was shocked to learn the park was intended to honour the Beatty family.
“I thought it’s so sad, the condition of the park. This is not a beautiful tribute,” she said.
But now, with an enlarged paved area, armour stones edging an enlarged planting space and new plants, the garden might encourage visitors to stop and have lunch.
“It certainly makes it easier on our gardeners,” said Branciere, who also fought the weeds in the space.
“And I think this will attract people, which is what gardens should do.”
The Peels have a B&B outside Fergus, and Marilyn said gardening was just another chore for her.
But during the pandemic when they had no guests, she came to love the peace and solace of working in the garden.
And by joining the horticultural society, she and her husband now enjoy the social aspects of gardening too.
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