Parkette renamed in honour of Tillson family

Jesse Goossens, left, and Shane Curtis, along with the BIA, were the driving forces behind the revitalization of the Tillson Family Parkette. (Jeff Helsdon photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

A ribbon cutting on Friday afternoon officially renamed the green space housing the fountain at the corner of Broadway and Oxford Street the Tillson Family Parkette, but didn’t show the quick work by the business and volunteer community that made it come together.

Kate Bakos, Cultural Heritage Manager/Curator, said the committee working on last year's 200th anniversary of the town's founding realized the importance of the town’s founders.

“We would not have Tillsonburg today without the Tillsons,” she said. “This park is a way of paying tribute.”

Tillsonburg Mayor Deb Gilvesy highlighted the work by Jesse Goossens, partner at Thomson and Goossens, and Shane Curtis, president of Curtis Wilcox, who spearheaded the work in the park, along with the BIA.

“Your work has created a fitting space to honour the Tillson family,” she said to the two local businessmen. “The transformation in such a short time is nothing less than extraordinary.”

In an earlier interview, Curtis explained he was retained by the town when he operated Horticultural Solutions to build the original park. He designed it at no cost to the town and charged only for construction and materials.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago, and he was talking to Goossens, who asked how the parkette could be improved.

“The problem is that over time, if the plants aren’t pruned annually, they can get overgrown,” Curtis explained.

A plan was developed to revitalize the park in connection with the BIA, which coordinated the power washing of the fountain. The plan is to have different plantings in the bed, depending on the season. It will start with pansies in the spring, to be followed by a show of colour in the summer and mums in the fall.

“The BIA is proud and excited to work with a committed group of individuals and organizations in the community to revitalize a downtown focal point,” said Executive Director Mark Renaud.

Two ornamental pear trees were removed from the park to open it up. Curtis’ gardener planted petunias, purple fountain grass and dipplamedia. Curtis enlisted Kinsmen members, along with their children and his daughter, to plant new shrubs.

Goossens donated money towards the project.

“We’re public service-oriented,” he said. “Where we can get involved and make an impact, we’re going to.”

The Tillsonburg Horticultural Society, whose members did the planting in the park, was consulted and agreed to relinquish care of the park so that other areas can be focused on. Curtis will donate care of the parkette for the next 10 years.