By By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
March 20, 2002
Meridian City Councilman Jesse E. Palmer Sr. left Tuesday night's council meeting carrying a new, green street sign under his arm and heading for a friend's house.
Palmer, the Ward 4 councilman, couldn't wait to show Lauderdale County Supervisor Q.V. Sykes that the city named a street after him.
The Meridian City Council passed a resolution Tuesday night officially changing the street name to honor Sykes for his commitment and work in developing the Lovers Lane recreational park.
The re-named road is the entrance to a park that supervisors named "Q.V. Sykes Park" earlier this year.
The park is currently under construction and will include three baseball fields, playgrounds and pavilions. The project has received much work and support from Sykes, the District 4 supervisor.
The property for the recreation complex southwest of Highway 19 and near Old Eighth Street Road was purchased by the county and designated for recreation or industry.
County voters agreed in 1999 to borrow about $2.5 million for recreation projects including tennis courts at Northeast Park and improvements to the Sykes park. The tennis courts are already completed.
County supervisors voted earlier this year to name the three baseball fields at Sykes park after Palmer, fellow Councilman George Thomas and former Meridian Councilman and Lauderdale County Supervisor Hobert Kornegay.
The new Q.V. Sykes Lane road sign also will be one of the first in a new style to go up in the city. The signs will have letters 6 inches tall, while current signs have letters 4 inches tall.
Meridian Public Works Director Monty Jackson said the old signs were "hard to see." He said the new signs are "more friendly to the eyes."