Loring Field, soon to be renamed for former Park’s employee Vito Locascio.(Photo by Lee Landor)
Former New York City Park’s Commissioner Henry Stern gave Ozone Park’s Loring Field its current name on June 18, 1987. But now, the park is ready for a name change, according to residents, civic leaders and elected officials.
Last week the Ozone Park Civic Association, Community Board 10 and City Councilman Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) approved a city proposal to name the field after Vito Locascio, a former Parks Department employee who died of cancer on May 4, 2006 at the age of 71.
In a eulogy, Locascio’s son John, also a Parks employee, spoke of his father’s accomplishments.
After an honorable discharge from the military, which drafted him to fight in the Korean War, Vito Locascio returned to New York City and took a job as a gardener at the Queens Greenhouse.
From there, his son wrote, it was one promotion after another, to the Parkway Division to park supervisor to principal park supervisor.
Locascio worked at Coney Island Beach for 12 years and, following his promotion to principal park supervisor, moved to Brooklyn’s District 2. He also served as president of DC 37’s Local 1508 for 12 years and as president of the Park’s Columbian Association for 32 years.
Community members agreed that Locascio’s achievments and dedication to the department are worthy of commemoration.
They now await the arrival of the new sign engraved with Locascio’s name.
