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Land donated to city for veterans park

Standard-Speaker - 8/15/2017

Aug. 15--Land at North Church and 14th streets that an attorney plans to donate to the city of Hazleton will be converted into a veterans park, Mayor Jeff Cusat said.

Attorney Pasco L. Schiavo will donate a parcel at the southeast corner to the city for use as a pocket park.

Schiavo said the property, which for years housed an automated teller machine, will be gifted to the city on behalf of his family.

The ATM has been removed and the land is "park ready," Schiavo said.

"I thought it would make a great pocket park where people can relax and rest at a time they would like and enjoy the surroundings," Schiavo said. "I thought of doing other things with (the land) but when I thought of the good it would do for the people and the great enjoyment they could have in such a little park ... I felt compelled to consider making it a gift."

Schiavo said he'd like to have the park dedicated to the memory of his grandfather, attorney Pasco Schiavo, whom he credited for devoting his professional life to improving the community.

"He died in 1939, but was a great help to a lot of people, many of whom were immigrants to the Hazleton area," Schiavo said. "He helped them get jobs and charged little or no fee to give them legal services and represented them when needed."

Schiavo said he was 2 years old when his grandfather passed away and that he received nothing but compliments about his grandfather while growing up.

"A lot of people told me how much he helped their families," Schiavo said. "He spoke Polish, Italian and English. Most of all, he had a great heart and a lot of compassion for the needs of the people at the time."

Schiavo said the idea for the pocket park at 14th and Church is inspired by the park at West Broad and Laurel streets in downtown Hazleton.

Cusat said he's grateful for the donation, which will be put to good use and honor veterans.

"It's something we've been working on for over a year and it's finally coming to fruition," Cusat said. "The original plan was to make it a veterans memorial park."

Cusat said he will use proceeds from the Mayor Cusat foundation to purchase concrete picnic tables and park benches that will recognize the five branches of the armed forces.

An opening date for the park hinges on the amount of time it takes for Schiavo to turn the land over to the city, Cusat said.

"We'll see how long it takes to turn the property over to us," Cusat said. "Then, we have to come up with a design for it. If (it's not finished) by fall, we'll do it by spring."

A local veterans board will contribute flag poles and monuments, the mayor said.

"We're very grateful for the donation," Cusat added.

-- SAM GALSKI

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(c)2017 the Standard-Speaker (Hazleton, Pa.)

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