The ceremony, intended to serve as a “grand opening and dedication” of the pocket park located where the McCulloch Department Store used to stand, featured a special bagpipe performance in honor of the McCulloch family’s Scottish roots, a prayer and blessing led by Doug Falk, a celebratory ribbon cutting by the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors, remarks by Robert McCulloch and Joe Null, Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey and McCulloch Park Committee Chair Jennifer Brown. The celebration also featured music by Jan Schaffer Cox on keyboard, and free food and refreshments from several local businesses including: Boneshakers, Leibe Wein, Ezio’s Italian Restaurant, Mike’s Penn Ave Grille, Quaker Steak and Lube, Ricky’s English Pub, Salty Mama’s Snacking Boards LLC, Lib’s Cafe & Coffee Shop, Coaches Burger Bar and Kast Iron Soda Works.

McCulloch said that he felt that people’s favorite memories from the 70 years the store operated from its founding by his grandfather Robert S. McCulloch Sr. in 1912, to its eventual closure in 1982, were of the store’s staff members who he said included too many notable figures to list, and the sense of community within, followed closely by the stores annual Christmas displays.

“I think the best memory for most in the store was the employees, and seeing their friends while they were there,” said McCulloch.

McCulloch also noted that many of those in attendance had worked at the department store at some point in their life, emphasizing its significant role in the community as both a store and gathering point, and that the McCulloch family hoped the park would continue that legacy and serve as a gathering space for the community “for years to come.”

At the ceremony’s conclusion, McCulloch Park Committee Chair Jennifer Brown presented Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey with a symbolic key to the park as the committee officially turned the finished park over to the city for ongoing maintenance. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)

During her remarks, Dickey took time to thank Hickey Metal Fabrication, the street department, the Salem Preservation and Historical societies, the beautification society and “all the other people that came and took their time to make [the park] a reality.” Dickey thanked Brown and Salem Preservation Society Member Karen Carter in particular for their efforts in making the renovations happen.

“It was just this little blank space, and then it was kind of a park that nobody paid attention to. But two women Ms. [Karen] Carter, and Ms. [Jennifer] Brown, had this dream of what it was going to be, and they spread that to everyone who would listen until finally we said, ‘okay it’s time, let’s do it’ a few years ago. And look at it now; thank you all,” said Dickey.

Gratitude proved to be the theme of the ceremony, as Brown had her own lengthy list of community members and businesses to thank for their roles in making the renovations possible including: the late Jackie Troll, owner of Troll Jewelry who willed $10,000 to the preservation society for trees and plants; Shane Franks for being the first private donor for the renovations; the McCulloch family for their support in “getting the process started;” the Salem Community Foundation; the Pearce Foundation, the Salem Tourism Board; the Columbiana County Commissioners; an anonymous donor; Project Manager Chris Kline of Enviroscapes; Hickey Metal Fabrication who donated the McCulloch Park sign; Chappel & Zimmerman; Liebe Wein; Sustainable Opportunity Development Center Executive Director Julie Needs and Training and Downtown Development Coordinator Eva Slagle who assisted in obtaining grant funding; Enduracoat who powder coated the park benches and the former Chamber of Commerce building gate “for a fraction of the usual price;” Melissa Thompson for painting the Alan Freed mural twice; Legacy Landscaping; Darin Flieshel; the Salem City Council; Dickey and former Mayor John Berlin; City Service Safety Director Joe Cappuzzello, and former director Kenny Kenst; Street Foreman Shawn Smith and the entire street department crew; and Mr. Powell at the Salem High School.

Brown also thanked her “dream team” on the McCulloch Park Committee and in the Salem Preservation Society, without whom she said the renovations would have been impossible, including Keith Berger, Karen Carter, Preservation President David Schwartz and the late Jean Alice Fehr.

“I said, ‘this is what I want to do’ and Preservation said yes, Preservation who preserves the past while promoting the future, and I could not have done it without them, we couldn’t have done it without them,” said Brown.

Shown is Robert McCulloch, the grandson of Robert S. McCulloch Sr. who founded McCulloch’s Department Store in 1912, who discussed the history of his grandfather’s store and its role within the Salem community, and shared humorous stories about notable staff members and his grandfather. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)

Following her remarks Brown presented Dickey with a symbolic key to the park, as it was dedicated back to the community and city “whose support the park was built from.”

“At this time, we would like to dedicate this park back to the city of Salem for its care and upkeep and back to the community that built it,” said Brown.

Shown is Doug Falk leading a prayer to bless the park.(Photo by Morgan Ahart)

Shown is Salem Preservation Society President David Schwartz welcoming attendees and offering introductory remarks for the ceremony. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)

The ceremony began with a special performance by Bagpiper Kim Meek which Salem Preservation Society President David Schwartz said was “a special tip of the cap” to the McCulloch family’s Scottish ancestry. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)