Hempstead family gets guarantee memorial skate park will stay after Turn to Tara investigation
After learning a Kennedy Park skate park built in memory of Jarred Newallo could be torn down for a pool renovation, his family turned to Tara Rosenblum. Following News 12's inquiries, Hempstead Village guaranteed the park will stay and receive new upgrades.
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A Hempstead family decided to Turn to Tara after learning a skate park built in memory of their son and brother could soon be torn down - and they couldn't get a guarantee it would ever return.
Kennedy Park is more than just a place to skate for the Newallo family.
"Well, to me it means that Jarred, he will live on," said Deborah Newallo, Jarred's mother.
Jarred Newallo started pushing for a skate park in Hempstead when he was just 15 years old, wanting local kids to have a safe place to skate. He spent 10 years trying to make it happen, but never lived to see it built. He died in an accident in 2014 at the age of 25.
Following his death, the village eventually built the memorial skate park at Kennedy Park in his honor. However, his family recently learned through word of mouth that the park would be torn down for parking as part of a renovation of the park's pool.
"I was devastated," said Tara Newallo, Jarred's sister. "Because we worked so hard to do this in my brother's memory."
The village said the skate park would be relocated, but Debra Newallo says they couldn't get a guarantee it would actually be rebuilt - that's when they reached out to News 12's Tara Rosenblum.
After Rosenblum contacted Hempstead Village Hall, the family got the guarantee they were looking for. The mayor confirmed to News 12 that the skate park will remain at Kennedy Park, continue to honor Jarred and will receive new and upgraded equipment.
"I knew at the skate park there he would always be remembered," Debra said.
