'Ann & Connele’s' Playground To Be Rededicated In East Northport

EAST NORTHPORT, NY — A ribbon cutting is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday at John Walsh Memorial Park, at 185 Larkfield Road, East Northport, as Ann and Connele's Playground is set to be re-dedicated, the Town of Huntington announced.

The playground was recently replaced, in addition to a tree that was planted in 2011 in the memory of Ann and Connele Pabo. Supervisor Ed Smyth and local officials will be joined by Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney and members of the community for the re-dedication.

In 2011, the previous playground was dedicated in memory of Ann Pabo and her son, Connele, who were killed as victims of domestic violence on July 21, 2010. On July 21, 2011, a dogwood tree was planted at the John Walsh Memorial Park playground in their memory. The tree did not survive and the old sign had weathered.

At a Jan. 13, 2020 meeting, the Huntington Town Board approved up to $525,000 in Environmental Open Space & Park Funds for a new playground at John Walsh Memorial Park, removing old equipment and sand-based playgrounds, and installing new ADA-accessible play structures and swing sets with safety surfacing.

The new playground opened in March, and a new memorial sign was fabricated by the Huntington Highway Department and installed on the new playground fence in April. A new redbud (Cercis canadensis) tree was planted by the township in May.