By JIMMY LAWTON
North Country Now

OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg City Council will rename Hamilton Park after the late Charles W. Kelly.

Mayor Wayne Ashley said several community members have come forward and wish to create a memorial for the park. He said he would like to form a commission that would figure out the details.

Ashley said he’d like to see the details hashed about by May so the renaming could coincide with Kelly’s birthday.

Council offered unanimous support for the plan.

The proposal was suggested by the Ogdensburg Historic Commission after reviewing the parks history. While commonly known as Hamilton Street Park, Historian Julie Madlin found that that park, which was converted from a cemetery in the mid-1860s was never officially named.

The commission unanimously recommended the city name the park after Kelly. City council are expected to vote on the measure at the Monday meeting which will start at 7 p.m. at city hall.

Kelly spent more than half a century working for and leading multiple newspapers in St. Lawrence County.

He was responsible for supervision of all St. Lawrence County Newspaper properties including editorial, financial, production, distribution, and general supervision of all publications. In 2010 at age 75, Kelly retired after 56 years of service.

He died in October at age 83.

Kelly was also one of St. Lawrence County’s most prominent community leaders.

He received the Volunteer of the Year Award for his efforts in getting state officials to approve construction Ogdensburg and Riverview Correctional Facility in 1983.

More recently, he led successful efforts to keep the Ogdensburg’s prisons and the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center from closing.