Two years after the death of Steelers legend Franco Harris, a new memorial is in development
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Friday marked two years since legendary Steelers player Franco Harris died. His impact reached far and wide across the Pittsburgh area. Now there's an effort to commemorate his legacy with a permanent memorial in Glen Osbourne Borough, near where he lived in Sewickley.
There's a wooded property in the community Jim Fitzgerald has wanted to develop since he was a kid, growing up in the neighborhood.
"In the fall, when the leaves change, it is so beautiful up there," Fitzgerald said.
It runs along Beaver Street between Glen Mitchell and Sycamore, 32 acres that will memorialize No. 32 on the Steelers.
"Here is a man living in Sewickley, who out of tens of thousands of professional football players, performed the greatest single play in the history, 100-year history of the NFL," Fitzgerald said.
Fitzgerald heads the nonprofit, Watchword Worldwide, which owns the property. He was originally planning to sell it for residential purposes. Then, two years ago, Franco Harris suddenly died, three days before the retiring of his jersey on the 50th anniversary of the 'Immaculate Reception,' the incredible moment in 1972 when Harris led the Steelers to victory in one of the best NFL plays of all time.
"How do you not do something to honor that?" Fitzgerald said.
The rest was history.
Fitzgerald said the park will feature pavilions, picnic tables, vistas with views of the river, trails, an amphitheater, and of course, a statue of the Pro Football Hall of Fame running back.
"There'll be information things along the park spelling more out about his background, what he accomplished, and who he was," Fitzgerald said.
He started a capital campaign and is raising half the proceeds through corporate sponsorships and the other half through public funding. Fitzgerald is in the process of looking for the 11 sponsors. 84 Lumber with Maggie Hardy was the first, donating $160,000 for the first acre of land. Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has also agreed to donate to the campaign.
Eventually, Fitzgerald will turn the park over to the Hollow Oak Land Trust to maintain the property, leaving behind a permanent landmark that keeps Harris's legacy alive.
"We're hopefully going to leave a park that will be in Franco's memory for a long, long time," Fitzgerald said.
Fitzgerald hopes to have the park ready for visitors by sometime next summer.
For more details on the project click here.
