To the Editor:

Last month the Village of Norwood lost a man who touched the lives of Norwood and North Country residents for decades.

The legacy of Pete LePage can be seen in nearly every spot in the community where children or adults play or exercise. Many people would recognize Pete’s figure peddling down the road in the sun or the rain, but many may not know the profound influence Pete had on the quality of life in Norwood and the young people of Norwood. That is because Pete never sought the recognition for himself.

Throughout the decades, Pete saw the need for facilities, or equipment, or programs to help the kids and instead of complaining about the deficiencies as some might, Pete figured out a way to fix them.

Through his own sweat and amazing personal connections, Pete built and had built nearly everything we play on today. And when those facilities were built, Pete worked to recognize not himself, but some other member of the community who he felt shared the same spirit of service.

From the track at the school, the Joe Mariano playground (which he constructed as a 69 year old man), the remembrance benches around the village, the ball fields to the Village beach Pete’s stamp can be seen. Pete did it all: from driving the Kubota to move sand and fix retaining walls to personally upgrading the bathrooms at the beach.

How many North Country residents met Pete through his winter storage program when he figured out a way to bring revenue to the village during even the cold of winter? Nothing and no one was below Pete LePage. For decades, children and adults from all over the North Country have enjoyed the fruits of Pete’s labor (and at a discount to the taxpayer I might add).

Those fruits will be enjoyed for decades to come by not only Pete’s work but the work of others whom he has inspired to serve the community.

It is for all of the reasons above that we believe it fitting to name the Norwood Village Beach at the Woodward Recreational Park the “Pete LePage Beach” so that everyone who goes through the gate to enjoy the beach, picnic, skateboard, row, play ball, compete in a race, or enjoy the Regatta knows the name of the man who gave his years, sweat, and spirit to the people of Norwood.

Mike and Michelle Zagrobelny and family

Kent and Robin Fetter and Family

Chris and Teresa Stone and family

Harry Young and family