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Ida M. Fritz Park is a small triangle of green bordered by West and Park Avenues and Hawley Street. It has been named after a local gardening enthusiast who for decades spent time in the city parks planting and tending to flowers. It has been previously known as "West Avenue Park." Since the County office buildings and courthouse are adjacent, the park serves as a place to take a lunch break for many local government employees during the summer. A few picnic tables are usually out for this purpose. In about the middle of the park, a classic gazebo/bandstand has recently been constructed as a project of the Lockport Devil Dog Detachment of the Marine Corp League (who have their club rooms across the street in the Navy-Marine Club Building on Park Avenue).
Old-timers can remember the "flower fountain" on the west side of the park as a former water fountain. That goes way back. Many administrations of city leaders had allowed poor maintenance to result in its closing. But today, thanks to city volunteer gardening, the fountain area is making a comeback of sorts. Volunteer John Cornelius is to be credited with work in the summer of 2001 that brought a big improvement over 2000 (when it was mostly a weed garden). We understand the fountain structure is still in storage. It would look beautiful if once again this area could be restored with a working fountain and flowers!
The flower bed shown above, on the east tip of the park, is tended by the volunteer labors of the Lockport Sunrise Optimist Club. A heavy black WW-1 cannon points over the flowerbed east into the Lockport downtown district.
This
memorial plaque is anchored in the ground at the park to honor Lockport's "Flower
Lady." She was 92 when she moved from the Lockport Odd Fellow and Rebekah
Health Care Facility, to BryLin Hospital in Buffalo and then to a specialized nursing home
at Warsaw, NY (about two hours from Lockport) as an Alzheimer's patient. She died
there on June 23, 2001.
During the 60's, 70's, and into the 80's, Ida Fritz could be seen out in city parks daily tending to flower beds. She has been honored by being named to the Lockport Walk of Fame. She had been known as a singing talent who performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic in her younger days and was a member of the Lockport Junior Service League and the Lockport Gardeners Club.
See A Eulogy To Ida Fritz In Our
Lockportian 2001 Deaths
Section
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