A new gazebo overlooking Pratt Park now stands as a permanent tribute to the men and women who answer Glen Cove’s emergency calls, following a dedication ceremony held during the city’s Fourth of July celebration last Saturday.
The First Responders Gazebo, funded by community donations and presented to the city by the Glen Cove Beautification Litter Prevention Program Inc., honors local police officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, Auxiliary Police, Harbor Patrol members and other first responders whose work helps protect the community.
Surrounded by city officials, emergency responders, volunteers and residents, organizers described the project as a lasting expression of gratitude that was made possible by an outpouring of community support.
“It is truly an honor to stand here today as we present this gazebo as a gift to the City of Glen Cove and dedicate it to all of Glen Cove’s first responders,” Lora Cusumano, president of the Litter Prevention Program and chair of the Glen Cove Beautification Commission.
The ceremony was especially meaningful, Cusumano said, because it took place during the July Fourth celebration. “Independence Day reminds us of the courage, sacrifice and vision that built our country,” she said. “It also reminds us that freedom, safety and community are protected every day by people who serve.”
Pratt Park, she added, was a fitting location for the gazebo, because it is already home to Glen Cove’s 9/11 Memorial, and will now host another memorial where residents can reflect on service and sacrifice.
“Today we add another lasting symbol of gratitude, this gazebo,” Cusumano said.
According to Police Chief Christopher Ortiz, the gazebo reflects the appreciation residents have for those who serve the city. “The Glen Cove Police Department is proud to be among the organizations honored at the new First Responders Gazebo …,” Ortiz wrote in a statement to the Herald, adding that it “represents the deep respect our community has for all first responders and honors the dedicated men and women who continue to serve the Glen Cove community.”
The project began in April as a fundraising initiative by the Beautification Litter Prevention Program board, which wanted to create something permanent for the community. Pratt Park’s proximity to the Glen Cove Fire Department and its existing memorial, Cusumano said, made it the ideal setting.
The BLPP quickly found enthusiastic support from residents, businesses and sponsors, according to Barbara Peebles, its vice president and fundraising chair. “You can imagine how much this means to the community,” Peebles said.
“When you’re fundraising to dedicate something to the first responders, people responded so enthusiastically and generously,” she added. “That’s what brought us the 20-by-12 extra-height gazebo that will be forever a memory of how we appreciate our first responders.”
Peebles said the BLPP is continuing work on a permanent bronze plaque honoring first responders. A mockup has already been completed, and organizers are waiting to find the appropriate stone before installing the permanent marker.
The project also included the planting of a patriotic perennial garden surrounding the gazebo. Cusumano said that additional improvements are planned, including new signage for Pratt Park, as part of BLPP’s continuing effort to beautify the area.
“Our organization is committed to making Glen Cove more beautiful, more welcoming, and more litter-free through community projects, events, and education,” she said. “This gazebo, the new patriotic garden, and park improvements are part of that mission, and part of our love for Glen Cove.”
Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck praised the volunteers whose work transformed the idea into reality in only a few months. “This was a concept several months ago, and it came to fruition so quickly,” she said. “Next thing you knew, there was a slab here.”
Panzenbeck thanked the BLPP for seeing the project through from fundraising to construction. “Thank you for sticking with this and loving Glen Cove,” she said.
Cusumano also credited the organization’s board members, volunteers, donors and sponsors for making the project possible, singling out Peebles for leading the fundraising effort.
“This gazebo project also represents what can happen when a community comes together,” Cusumano said.
She encouraged residents, students, families and local businesses to become involved in future beautification projects throughout the city.
Looking ahead, Cusumano said she hoped the gazebo would become more than a monument. “We would like it to be a gathering place.”
