City officials and volunteers from the Belfast Garden Club Public Gardens committee teamed up with employees from the Belfast Department of Public Works on Wednesday, September 24, to officially open the redesigned garden in front of the Belfast Post Office.

Mayor Eric Sanders and City Council representative Brenda Bonneville lauded the beauty and improved safety of the garden, where handrails have been installed, according to the Garden Club. Sanders mentioned that the removal of a large evergreen improved visibility for traffic and pedestrians, and also permitted a garden that would stay within its bounds.

Belfast Garden Club volunteer Michael Szercen designed the new garden. Public Works employees handled removal of the large tree and installation of decorative boulders, while a team of Garden Club volunteers, led by Marsha Siviski and Janis Hogan, installed the new plantings. When possible, plants removed from the old garden were relocated to other gardens the club maintains for the City.

A non-profit organization with approximately 140 members, the Belfast Garden Club supports gardens at the local schools, donates books to Waldo County libraries, sponsors public lectures, and plants and maintains 13 public gardens. These projects are funded by membership and by revenue generated from the annual plant sale and the summer-long Open Garden Days.