Monessen unveils refurbished memorials

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@yourmvi.com

A few dozen people gathered at City Park Sunday to pay tribute to war veterans who hail from Monessen during a rededication ceremony for two of the city’s war memorials.

Members of the Monessen War Veterans Memorial Trust were joined for the ceremony by veterans and their families, along with active-duty service members. Also on hand were elected officials, including state Rep. Eric Davanzo, R-South Huntingdon, state Sen. Pat Stefano, R-Bullskin Township, Monessen Magisterial District Judge Wayne Vlasic, Monessen Mayor Matt Shorraw and a representative from the office of U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R- Peters Township.

War Veterans Memorial Trust Vice Chairman S. Ron Chromulak, who is also commander of VFW Post 1190, said a lot of work went into preparing the memorials at City Park and Eastgate Park for the rededication ceremony.

The seven tall, polished marble columns at the City Park memorial featuring etchings of thousands of names of veterans who served from World War II to the present, a marble threshold and a sidewalk featuring memorial bricks bearing the names of veterans had weathered over time, collecting dirt, debris and sap from nearby trees, Chromulak said.

He said the monuments at City Park and Eastgate have been professionally cleaned and polished. Bricks and stones that were either shifting from where they originally sat or suffered other damage over the years were reset or repaired.

The sidewalk and the standing monuments were resealed and some of the trees surrounding the City Park memorial were trimmed or cut down to prevent them from dripping sap or falling onto the monuments.

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