Members of the Veterans Memorial Park Commission gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to dedicate the park's new pavilion on Monday afternoon. Pictured in front, from left, are Commission member Russell E. Diethrick Jr., City Council President Marie Carrubba, Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi, Commission member George Spitale, Commission Chair Charles Telford, and City Recreation Coordinator Julia Ciesla-Hanley. Pictured in back, from left, are Commission member Sharon Terwilliger and her husband Tom Terwilliger, and City Parks manager John Williams. P-J photo by Jay Young

Years of fundraising and construction efforts came to fruition on Monday afternoon, as community leaders gathered at Veterans Memorial Park for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in dedication of the park’s new pavilion.

Longtime Veterans Memorial Park Commission member George Spitale was given the honor of cutting the ribbon, which was held on either side by Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi and Commission Chairman Charles Telford.

The park, now located along West Third Street near Logan and Harding Avenues, was moved from its original location near Jamestown High School in 2011 and has undergone extensive improvements in recent years.

Construction of the pavilion was completed in the weeks proceeding Monday’s ceremony.

In April of 2017 former state Sen. Cathy Young announced that $100,000 dollars in funding had been secured for the park. In late June of this year the Jamestown City Council voted to approve the use of those funds for the construction of parking spaces, curbs and the newly-completed gazebo.

Veterans Memorial Park Commission members also include Russell E. Diethrick Jr., Barclay O. Wellman, William Servis, Tom Abbott, Sharon Terwilliger, Theresa Baginski and Daniel Kell.

Ronald Cotten served as head of organization and fundraising for the project.

“When Ron Cotten died prematurely the mayor asked me to take over that position of chairman,” said Telford.

“It used to be located across from the high school on a very small plot of land, and it was decided that if it was moved this would be the perfect place for it, where we could represent the various wars and veterans from all of the wars, to put this all together. Our whole purpose was to figure out what it was going to look like and to put it together. We did it in phases as we came up with the money, so here we are now literally at the end. Beautiful facility, nice and clean, and this is where events will be held for veterans.”

Since Cotten’s passing in 2015, members of the Commission and other community leaders stepped up and continued to campaign for funding on the project.

“George (Spitale) was instrumental as a council member and a member of this commission, working to secure this phase of the program, which brings to completion the multiple phases of the beautiful Veterans Memorial Park project that have happened over the last several years,” said Teresi.

“I want to again thank Chuck and the entire Veterans Memorial Commission as well as the Parks, Recreation and Conservation Commission, as well as the City Council members. This was largely done with a $100,000 grant that was secured by former Senator Cathy Young that paid for this portion of the project, the sidewalks, the parking areas, signage, and a lot of the other security items. This is kind of like the crowing piece to the overall program that we have spent years doing. George was the one that brought home the final $100,000 with the work that he did with Senator Young.”

With the new pavilion in place, guests of the park will now have an improved facility to host the veteran-specific events that will be enjoyed in the future.

On the schedule in the future are, “Memorial Day events and the special event with the Blue and Gold Star mothers that launches Memorial Day weekend here, and then also Veterans Day observances and any others that might be considered appropriate for the park,” said Teresi.

While major improvements are now completed, Teresi did note that residents may potentially see landscaping and restoration work on the premises come springtime.

“I would like to thank the mayor, who backed this up and got things done with the park, I don’t think anybody else could have done what he did,” said Spitale after completing the ribbon cutting.