Improvements at the Beatrice Maye Floral Garden Park were officially dedicated on Saturday, May 7, highlighting new additions that include a pergola, a park bench, and a literacy box affectionately named the "Beatrice Maye Book Library."

The improvements were made possible by a collaborative effort between the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Institute Class of 2016, the Greenville Recreation and Parks Department, and numerous other contributors. Elements were incorporated into the garden park to preserve the legacy of Mrs. Beatrice Maye, an avid reader and former educator for whom the park was named in 2002.

Maye's daughter, Mamie Bryan, attended Saturday's dedication and noted that she is thrilled with the efforts to highlight her mother's contributions to the community. Bryan also said she believes her mother would appreciate the effort to promote park usage through reading.

In addition to the Chamber and City, the enhancements of the park were made possible by contributions from individuals and local businesses. Among them were First South Bank, Garris-Evans Lumber Company, the Greenville-Pitt County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Greenville Utilities Commission, Hyster-Yale Group, and Vidant Medical Center. Additionally, Pitt Community College architectural design student Ernest Moore provided the plans for the pergola, Erick Tetterton assisted with the construction, and students from the J.H. Rose High School construction classes built the literacy box.

The Beatrice Maye Floral Garden Park is located at 1100 Farmville Boulevard in Greenville.