Clutching a worn baseball glove, a young boy races towards Nicholas Lia Memorial Park. His laughter echoes through the streets, a familiar sound in the St. George neighborhood. This park, nestled between Belmont Place, Wall Street, and St. Mark’s Place, holds more than swings and slides. It holds the memory of a local hero, Lieutenant Nicholas Lia. Nicholas Lia Memorial Park wasn’t always a playground. The city initially intended to build William T. Davis Park here, alongside a new facility for the Institute of Arts and Sciences. The Institute had inherited an old Victorian home from Emma Stone. However, the renovation costs proved too high, leading to its demolition in 1960. By 1969, New York City purchased the land. The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation officially acquired it in 1972, designating it as Lt. Lia Playground. Nicholas Lia, born and raised in St. George, graduated from Wagner College before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. He served two tours in Vietnam, earning a Purple Heart and a Gold Star. Tragically, in 1968, while placing a landmine, Lieutenant Lia lost his life. Nicholas Lia Memorial Park stands as a testament to his sacrifice. In 1994, a flagpole and memorial were erected in his honor. The park also features play equipment, decorative paving, game tables, benches, and drinking fountains. It serves as a gathering place for the community, a space where children’s laughter mingles with the quiet remembrance of a hero. The spirit of Nicholas Lia lives on, not just in bronze and stone, but in the joyful shouts and playful energy of the children who gather in his name.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to