By Bill Piervincenzi

Eddie Piervincenzi tries out the new table and benches

Visitors to Ballantine Park will find a new chess table with accompanying curved benches, as well as two new individual curved benches. The chess table can be easily seen from the post office. The other benches are near the Dowie dam.

The new additions to the park are the result of the recruiting wizardry of Supervisor Marty Donnelly. He found an Italian sculptor who works in the medium of concrete, named Pat Capasso. Pat lives on Lower Dingle Hill Road with his wife, Caroline. There he fashions beautiful outdoor furniture, inlaid with tiles. Marty knew it was just what was needed to enhance the park.

Sculptor Pat Capasso

Next, help was needed to pour concrete pads and to install the table and benches. Again, Marty knew who to ask. First Walter Schultis and I borrowed Pat’s mixer and spent a day mixing concrete. Then Marty enlisted the aid of a local contractor who was working in the village. Marty convinced him to pour two more pads for two benches.

Finally, a crew of men consisting of Marty Donnelly, Bud Gladstone, Walter Schultis and newcomer Vince Comperatore, following the directions of master craftsman Pat Capasso, installed the chess table and benches according to precise measurements. The concrete table is inlaid with black and white tiles to form a chess board.

I’m sure you’ll agree that they are a welcome addition to the park. Who knows? The next Bobby Fischer may get his or her start in Ballantine Park! ~