Residents and councilors spar over proposed playground at Fort Stanwix Park

Dozens of residents and several councilors clashed over a proposal to place playground equipment at Fort Stanwix Park during public comment at the Rome Common Council meeting on Aug. 27, 2025.

Opponents said the park is a passive, historic site — including a burial ground — and that installing playground equipment or allowing a private childcare operator to use the space would damage neighborhood character and public safety. “There’s bones there that date back 200 years,” said Richard Lomenio, a 51‑year resident who lives on Port Sandwich Park. Kenneth Pace, whose letter was read by Michael Brown, said the park “was known and is still by some as Crack Park” before neighborhood cleanup efforts, warning that a playground could reverse recent gains.

The debate followed comments from several speakers who described both the park’s historic character and lingering damage from a tornado last summer. “We got whacked with the tornado,” Councilor Anderson said, describing…