A part of family memories

Boardman Park celebrates its 60th anniversary June 30.

By DENISE DICK

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

BOARDMAN — Each July 4 and Labor Day, members of the Spatara family from as far away as Florida descend on Boardman Park for their family reunions.

“I have fond memories of coming and seeing all of the members of my family,” said Peggy Gollings.

Her late father, Dominick Spatara, started the reunions, which began at the family’s house before moving to the Ex-Servicemen’s Pavilion at the park in the mid-1980s.

“Decorating the pavilion is the best part,” Gollings said. “It sets the mood.”

The events usually draw about 70 family members, she said.

Boardman Park, established in 1947, celebrates its 60th anniversary June 30.

Gollings sat at a picnic table in Tots Town, a children’s play area, on a recent evening, leafing through photo albums depicting the reunions. Her husband, Michael, watched over their children, Jackie, 3, and Marshall, 2, who rushed from one piece of playground equipment to another.

The photos show family members gathered for group shots, hanging around the pavilion, eating.

Changes over the years

Spatara family reunions, which last all day, include a cookout and lots of socialization. They used to pick teams and play baseball, but that fell by the wayside as team members aged.

The park looked a lot different when the Spatara family started reuniting there. Brightly colored, more sophisticated distractions for children replaced the merry-go-round, sandboxes and teeter-totters.

Other features, such as the Lariccia Family Bocce Pavilion, were years from fruition.

Even when there weren’t reunions, Gollings remembers coming to the park as a child.

“We always came to the day camps they had here,” she said. “Our Girl Scout troop would have activities at the park.”

Now her children enjoy it, too.

“They always want to go to the playground,” Gollings said. “They always ask about it.”

Attendance at one of the two reunions last year drew a sparse group so Gollings is trying to revive the attendance.

“I’ve been sending out a newsletter including some pictures,” she said.

One reunion day conjures unhappy memories. Gollings’ father died in the early hours of July 4, 1993, Gollings’ 23rd birthday and a Spatara family reunion day.

“Everyone was coming for the reunion and got the bad news,” she said.

Because of the family’s grief, they canceled that gathering.

But the family kept the tradition in subsequent years with Gollings’ sister initially organizing the gatherings before Gollings took over.

She believes her father would be happy to see that the tradition he started lives on.

“I think he’s kind of glad that we’re still doing it,” Gollings said.