[Vision: View of roses and the rose garden at noble Park. View of the new interpretive signage]
Michele Stewart, Granddaughter of Thomas Copas
We’ve come here today because they’ve erected an interpretive sign about my grandfather and put in a rose garden to commemorate the work that he did in the community while he was living here.
[Vision: View of the roses and the rose garden. View of the new interpretive signage]
Jim Memeti, Mayor, Greater Dandenong
This interpretive sign provides opportunities for people to interact with the community as well as celebrating the diversity of Noble Park.
Thomas Copas was one of the Noble Park locals who was involved in the park’s planning and landscaping.
[Vision: Views of roses and the rose garden. View of Springvale Botanical Cemetery entrance. Views of roses in Copas Park]
Michele Stewart, Granddaughter of Thomas Copas
He got a job down at the Necropolis as a gardener and a rosarian, that gave him the opportunity to do more of his breeding of his roses, and he’d plant all new ones and would have taken some of those to the Necropolis to plant.
[Vision: Close-up view of interpretive sign showing a photo of Tom Copas]
While he was living here he used to MC a lot of the dances at the Town Hall here in Noble Park, and the debutant’s balls he was the MC of all of those.
He was just happy to do anything for the community, he just loved being helpful and doing things that needed to be done.
[Vision: Views of roses and the rose garden in Noble Park]
It’s actually more than I expected.
I’m blown away by how lovely it is.
The gardeners have done a beautiful job.
[Vision: Close-up view of interpretive signage]
The sign is just amazing, it gives you an insight into the man.
Instead of just going to the park, you can now go to the park and find out about the man who the park is named after.
To me personally, I’m very proud of the park and now of the new rose garden because it’s just him and I think he would have been chuffed.
[Vision: View of roses and Tom Copas sign]
[The Victorian Connection, people, communities and the economy. For more news and stories go to connection.vic.gov.au]
[Victoria State Government. Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne]
For the full article please refer back to Coming up roses for the local legend at Copas Park
