Members of the DePina family gather around a new commemorative plaque at the rededication ceremony for DePina Landing on Wednesday, Aug. 14. (Photo Courtesy Town of Marion)
MARION — The Town of Marion is pleased to announce the grand rededication of DePina Landing on River Road, celebrated with an open house on Wednesday, Aug. 14.
On a beautiful afternoon, Town officials, community members, and members of the DePina family gathered to honor the site’s history and legacy.
Town Administrator Geoffrey Gorman welcomed attendees, while Select Board Chair Randy Parker expressed gratitude to the DePina family for their parents’ longstanding commitment to the Town of Marion.
Meg Steinberg, Chair of the Marion Historical Commission, shared the history of the property, which served as a popular neighborhood swimming hole beginning in the 1940s.
Stories collected through Council on Aging programs revealed fond memories from members of Marion’s Cape Verdean neighborhood, who spent summer days swimming at DePina Landing during the 1950s and 1960s. Seeking to provide a safer alternative to jumping off the Wareham Bridge, the DePina family donated the one-acre site to the Town in 1953.
The newly refurbished park was made possible through a collaboration of the Marion Historical Commission, the Department of Public Works, and the Marion Recreation Department, with funds provided by Friends of Marion Recreation. The site now features new benches, picnic tables, a celebratory tree and garden, a commemorative plaque, and an interpretive historical sign. A kayak rack will also be installed in the near future.
Special thanks were extended to Chris Black, River Junction, and the Gateway Restaurant for sponsoring refreshments for the event.
The project was spearheaded by Nancy McFadden, Department of Public Works Director Jody Dickerson, and Marion Historical Commission Chair Meg Steinberg, who recognized the importance of preserving the site’s history while honoring the DePina family’s enduring legacy.
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A new celebratory garden at DePina Landing in Marion, pictured on Wednesday, Aug. 14. (Photo Courtesy Town of Marion)
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