CUMBERLAND — Let’s Beautify Cumberland! held a special dedication and rededication at Giarritta Park and in the Johnson Heights Neighborhood last Saturday.
Giarritta Park’s rededication came about after Anna Mackey of Miami reached out to LBC! inquiring about donating a bench and tree in memory of her late husband, Bruce Douglas Mackey.
“We’ve taken a triangle, which was kind of an afterthought next to a bridge,” Ed Mullaney, co-chair of LBC! said of the park. “Nick and Shirley kept it alive with flowers, and we fine-tuned it and turned it into Memorial Park.”
The park was initially dedicated to Nick and Shirley Giarritta, two prominent Cumberland residents who made large impacts in the medical and arts communities.
Throughout the years, the project at Giarritta Park has grown to include memorials for other prominent Cumberland figures and landmarks. Mackey has donated significantly to LBC! projects and came to Cumberland to see the bench and memorial park.
Some of the other memorials and artifacts in the park include a fountain in honor of Wes Haan, a prominent pharmacist who made large contributions in the medical community.
There’s also a sculpture from Italy from the former Sacred Heart Hospital that was moved to the park in honor of Sue Cerutti, a former downtown manager and close friend of Shirley Giarritta.
A dogwood tree was planted in the park in honor of Butch Love, who was known for playing Santa Claus at the annual Cumberland tree lighting ceremony.
Two large lampposts from the old Allegany Hospital were donated to the park by Michelle Martz, president of UPMC Western Maryland and Karen Johnson, president of Western Maryland Health System Foundation.
Additionally, the former Memorial Hospital main entrance portico was placed in the park in a cradle of stone built by Mark Fleming.
A plaque in honor of Juanita Isiminger, who was considered the mother of Cumberland tourism in the 1950s, will also be displayed in the park.
Street lamps removed from Baltimore Street prior to the renovation will be in the park in memory of Mackey’s sister-in-law, Marsha Dee Goss. Mackey has donated significantly to fund the memorials and further LBC! projects.
“It was a pleasure working with Anna Mackey,” Ginny Decker, LBC!’s co-chair, said. “She was very happy, very pleased with how we spent her money and what we have done with her donations.”
A dedication for a “Welcome to Johnson Heights” sign in that neighborhood was also held last week. The sign and installation were funded by Mackey in honor of her brother-in-law Brian Guy Mackey.
The Johnson Heights sign is one of 20 around Cumberland, and came about at the request of City Councilman Jimmy Furstenberg. The sign is surrounded by shrubs, plants, flowers and cacti.
“I think this is living proof of the validity of what this organization brings to the table,” Mullaney said. “Along with bringing people together — private citizens, city government and volunteers to work together to make Cumberland the prettiest city in Maryland.”