Valley Independent Sentinel

Derby To Name Gazebo In Grande’s Honor

by Vanessa Inzitari | Feb 7, 2010 8:10 pm

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Posted to: Derby

City officials want to name the gazebo on the Derby Green after the late former Mayor Richard Grande.

Ken Hughes, president of the Board of Aldermen, said the idea came from Thomas DiLullo, Grande’s first cousin.

“[DiLullo] sent an e-mail requesting the gazebo be dedicated to the former mayor and I personally did a little research and found [Grande’s] actually responsible for the building of the gazebo and Olde Derby Day,” Hughes said. “So I thought it was a good idea.”

Grande spearheaded the construction of the gazebo, so DiLullo said naming it after his cousin would be a fitting tribute because the gazebo was “something special to him.”

“Richard loved the city and the people loved him too and not just because he was mayor, but because of the person he was,” DiLullo said.

Pending approval from the Board of Aldermen, DiLullo said he would like to affix a 12 by 18 inch brass plaque to the gazebo that reads “The Richard A. Grande Pavilion.” Underneath the main text, DiLullo said he would also like the plaque to include the years Grande served as mayor, as well as the city logo.

DiLullo, who is originally from Derby but currently lives in New Jersey, said he proposed the idea for the memorial to current Mayor Anthony Staffieri, after first sharing the idea with Grande’s wife, Mary Ann.

Regarding the memorial, Staffieri said he thinks it would be a fitting way to remember the former mayor.

“I remember plenty of times seeing Rich’s smiling face there, listening to concerts on the Green, so it’s a wonderful idea,” Staffieri said.

Although Staffieri is supportive of the idea, he said naming the gazebo in Grande’s honor faces one potential hurdle.

“We have to make sure the gazebo isn’t already named after someone,” Staffieri said. “We’re doing the research now.”

Voting on the plan for the proposed memorial was scheduled to take place at the Jan. 28 Aldermen meeting, but due to inclement weather, the meeting was canceled. After being rescheduled a second time, Hughes said the meeting is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 11.

Officials said they hope to have the gazebo’s history checked out and the question of naming resolved before the upcoming meeting.

Although voting has yet to take place, George Kurtyka, Grande’s brother-in-law, said he is optimistic the plan will be approved because “Rich gave his whole career to this city.”

“He was always involved, whether he was mayor or not,” Kurtyka said.

Longtime friend Mike McFarland said naming the gazebo after Grande is a no brainer.

“I don’t think anyone in this city can speak ill of him, so why not?” McFarland said. “Something should be named after him.”

Born Feb. 5, 1950, Grande severed as the mayor of Derby from 1986 to 1991. In addition to serving the city as mayor, Grande worked at Griffin Hospital for 32 years as a respiratory therapist. He died on Dec. 12, 2009, at Yale-New Haven Hospital at the age of 59.

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