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The New Beautiful City by David Fontaine : : : : : : : After the death of Johnny Lombardi, founder of the multicultural radio station CHIN, the Lombardi family and their friends embarked on a fundraising drive and an open art competition to create a commemorative new public space at the southern corner of Grace and College streets, just a few houses from where Johnny lived. "We wanted to create a public space that pays tribute to a man's history and to the community he helped establish," explains Johnny's son Lenny Lombardi. The project received great public support. "99% of the funds for this plan came from the citizens of Toronto - the city simply acted as facilitators for the project," notes Joe Pantalone, the local city councillor. Piazza Johnny Lombardi was opened in 2004. The winning design, by Veronica and Edwin Dam de Nogales, features a smiling Johnny Lombardi sitting on a granite bench, his arm extended out to a young boy. In between them, on the back of the bench, the boy has etched a map of the world. The sculpture's smile is especially evocative of the man. Says local resident Antonietta Scarpato, who knew Johnny personally, "the smiling sculpture of Johnny is a perfect fit, a wonderful tribute for a beautiful person." Lenny Lombardi says that "people will interpret the park and its artwork in many different ways. What's important is that we have a beautiful piazza in Little Italy." The piazza also includes new trees, flowers, benches that weave in and out like the waves of an ocean, improved lighting, and 3 chess tables; a fountain and commemorative plaque are planned. On a warm summer evening, I stopped to chat with a group of people sitting along the cool granite benches. They praised the way this new public space gave them an opportunity to relax, debate, and watch the world go by: "It feels like we live in a small village and this is its centre." In the words of 64-year-old Ignazio Caratozzaolo, "Johnny lives on through this park, do you see how he still brings people together?" photo courtesy of city councillor Joe Pantalone's website.
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