Antonio & Carmine LeporePrint Page

The monument commemorates brothers Antonio and Carmine Lepore for a combined 100 years of service to horticulture while working for Adelaide City Council. As at 2019, Antonio and Carmine Lepore have worked in Adelaide City Council`s horticulture team for 60 and 40 years respectively.

A whopping 50 candles will top the celebratory cake marking Antonio Lepore’s 50 years of service at the Adelaide City Council tonight. Lord Mayor Michael Harbsion and Adelaide City Council Chief Executive Officer Peter Smith will recognise the outstanding achievement along with Tony’s workmates, family and friends at the Adelaide Town Hall.

“Tony’s service to the Council and to the City’s gardens and streetscapes are to be commended. “It is wonderful that we can officially recognise this milestone. Tony has certainly gone above and beyond the call of duty during his career with the Council,” Mr Smith explained.

At just 16 years of age – Tony commenced work with the Adelaide City Council, with his first day spent in Rymill Park cleaning out the creek. He worked in and around Rymill Park for the next six months. “I worked as part of a ‘mobile crew’ where around five of us planted trees, mowed lawns, pruned plants weeded the gardens. Back then, gardening work was all done by hand with only simple tools,” Tony said.

In the 1960s, Tony moved to Victoria Square where he stayed for over thirty years tending to Square’s gardens. “I looked after sixteen annual flower beds in Victoria Square. I remember we had to dig them out twice a year – all by hand.”

Tony and his fellow workmate Nunzio resided in Victoria Square in an old shed where they stored their gardening tools and equipment. “The shed was also where we ate lunch and during winter, we would light a small kerosene heater to keep warm and make a cup of tea.”

Tony has witnessed many changes during his 50 years with the Council. “Times have changed a lot over my career – especially during the 30 years I spent tending to Victoria Square. “I remember my supervisor would pick up my timesheet on a push bike and my pay packet would be dropped off and was paid in cash. “As time went on, a lot of our manual labour was made a lot easier with tools and mechanical equipment.”

Tony’s current role as part of the Horticultural Team at the Adelaide City Council sees him rove the city precinct maintaining the many streetscapes and pocket parks.
Glam, Adelaide, 11 March 2010.

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