Community efforts result in dedication of Micaela Cancilla Park in South End

Saturday, June 3, 2017

The longtime site of the former Greencastle Street Department garage and dog pound was formally dedicated Thursday evening as Greencastle's newest park property.

What was once an expanse of crumbling concrete and cinders stained with oil unceremoniously dripped from leaky and creaky old Street Department trucks is now covered in lush, green sod dotted with playground equipment and picnic tables to enjoy west of Mama Nunz restaurant in the city's South End.

Flanked by Park Director Rod Weinschenk (right) and Mama Nunz Jo Ruth Cancilla (left), Nunzio Cancilla cuts a ceremonial ribbon Thursday evening to dedicate and officially open Micaela Cancilla Park in honor of his late daughter. Holding the ends of the ribbon are Park Maintenance Director David Bault (right) and summer intern Josh Froderman. The park is located in the city's South End, right behind the Mama Nunz restaurant at 800 S. Main St., Greencastle.
Banner Graphic/ERIC BERNSEE

But most of all the new Micaela Cancilla Park -- named in honor of the late Micaela Julletta Cancilla, who died at age 26 in 2012 -- evokes beautiful memories of a young girl who by all accounts enjoyed life and everything about it.

Micaela's father, Nunzio Cancilla, cut the ceremonial ribbon to dedicate the park with his mother -- Mama Nunz herself, Jo Ruth Cancilla -- at his side.

"Thank you all," Nunzio said, uncharacteristically subdued by the emotion of the moment. "Micaela really loved this place."

The park is literally right out the back door of the Cancilla family's restaurant and Micaela reportedly enjoyed it even in its undeveloped state.

In June 2014, the Greencastle Park Board voted unanimously to name the then-undeveloped park property in honor of the Micaela after Mama Nunz had presented the board with a petition that included 16 pages of signatures calling for the naming of the park in Micaela's memory.

Chuck Schroeder, now-retired longtime executive director of Putnam County Comprehensive Services, made opening remarks, recalling how Micaela would greet everybody with "a constant smile on her face."

He called the development of the park and the naming of it for Micaela a perfect tribute, noting that the energy involved is a "fitting situation for her."

Mama Nunz noted that Micaela worked enthusiastically alongside her family at the restaurant and immensely enjoyed interacting with customers.

Signs heralds Greencastle's newest park -- Micaela Cancilla Park.

She lauded the contributions of Sue and Bob Haviland is collecting donations toward the signage and other amenities at the park.

Mayor Dory also announced that the Greencastle Rotary Club, of which he is president, applied for a district grant to contribute to the project.

He presented a $4,000 check to Park Director Rod Weinschenk to be used to help underwrite the cost of the project.

"We want to thank everyone who helped develop the old parking lot," Weinschenk commented. "It took a lot of people to make this happen."

Mayor Dory agreed.

"This has truly been a community project," Dory said, expressing appreciation for local companies like Civil Engineering Consultants and Joe Spiker Excavating as well as city employees and others who combined "efforts to make a fitting memorial and a nice amenity for the neighborhood."

Park Maintenance Director David Bault assured that the site was indeed the location of the old city garage that was razed about 30 years ago.

In fact, pieces of the foundation of the old building still existed beneath the site of the playground equipment, Bault said following Thursday evening's ceremony.

"I know," he said of his excavation efforts on the property, "I found every one of them."

Those combined efforts resulted in an area once considered an eyesore becoming productive park property.

"This certainly is a happy ending," unofficial Greencastle historian and longtime Rotary Club member Jinsie Bingham said.

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