Additionally, she was a board member of the Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association and the St. Petersburg Museum of History.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Reed had a direct role in a variety of projects, including revitalizing the Sunken Gardens botanical attraction<\/a>, which opened officially in 1936, and co-founding the Sunken Gardens Forever Foundation. She helped the organization<\/a> restore the flamingo population through fundraising efforts. More than 18 Chilean birds from the San Antonio Zoo were acquired in 2016.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cRobin was a beautiful, intelligent and caring founder,\u201d said Sunken Gardens Forever Foundation president Ted Mallin. \u201cShe started it with a passion to see that Sunken Gardens would have a legacy that preserved its historic qualities as an original Florida roadside attraction.\u201d<\/p>\n Flamingos at Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg.<\/p>\n He added that her goal was to ensure that Sunken Gardens \u201cwould evolve to be an asset to the community that was educational, cultural and beautiful.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The \u201cRestock the Flock\u201d campaign was the Sunken Gardens Forever Foundation\u2019s first project. According to its website, the organization helped fund the construction of a History Center on the property.<\/p>\n Additionally, the nonprofit worked with author and board member Robin Gonzalez to publish a children\u2019s book, Sophie & Zack at Sunken Gardens, which has been distributed to Title I third graders in St. Petersburg.\u00a0<\/p>\n Preserve the \u2018Burg executive director Manny Leto explained that Reed preferred an active approach as board president.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cRobin was really my introduction to Preserve the \u2018Burg and St. Petersburg,\u201d he said. \u201cWe worked hand in hand and talked at least once a week if not more.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Leto added that the \u201ctime that she committed was substantial.\u201d Reed did not just provide guidance. She actually \u201cdid the work\u201d to ensure that the organization moved forward. \u201cI think advocacy like hers is pretty rare.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n He argued that Reed played an \u201cinstrumental\u201d role in multiple Preserve the \u2018Burg projects, including raising funds for the organization\u2019s Keeping the Vibe Alive: The Impact of Historic Preservation in St. Petersburg economics report.<\/a> She also was very supportive of establishing a Mirror Lake Historic District.<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSimply put, Robin Reed could be called a preservation titan,\u201d said Maureen Stafford, who is a local preservationist and former colleague of Reed\u2019s, \u201cand I say that without reservation.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Preservation, she argued, is about keeping the history of the city \u201calive.\u201d When older buildings are destroyed, the \u201cstory is diluted and often gone.\u201d Reed understood this.\u00a0<\/p>\n Stafford explained that Reed was a \u201ctaskmaster\u201d and \u201cdid not lose her focus\u201d on projects even when there were disagreements with the City government. She \u201chad a deep knowledge of the codes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/658147828_1391198953039861_8614649293282973434_n-1024x667.jpg\")
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