ST. PETE BEACH â The city has been forced to suspend its memorial bench program after it became the victim of its own success and popularity.
Public Works Director Mike Clarke said over the years the program has been so successful that there are now 87 city-approved memorial benches on the beach, mostly in Pass-A-Grille.
âBench spacing on the sand has become quite crowded and, for that reason, the program has been suspended,â Clarke reported. âHowever, Public Works continues to receive requests for consideration. The emotional attachment families have with the beach and loved ones who have passed is very evident.â
During a March 23 commission meeting, City Manager Alex Rey told commissioners that âwhile the city is still getting requests for memorial benches, all the possible places on the beach where a bench can be placed has been saturated.â