With no parades in the area for Labor day several members of the Berks County Democratic Party cleaned up the FDR Memorial Statue in West Lawn. Located on Morwood Avenue, the concrete bust and fireplace pedestal has been neglected for years completely overgrown by weeds and shrubbery.
The clean up crew included a small group of community volunteers along with party chairman Kevin Boughter, Reading City Council members Donna Reed, Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz and candidate for Berks County Judge Tina Boyd.
Working with Spring Township, the Berks Democratic Party is planning a multi-phase project for the memorial that involves first cleaning the brush around the statue, cleaning and restoring the stone and concrete and finally re-leveling the pad the monument sits on which is currently leaning to the left.
“What we want to do is give recognition to all of the monuments and their meanings” said Reading Councilwomen Goodman-Hinnershitz speaking to a group of volunteers.
Although it is off the beaten path, the monument was creating around the 1930’s during FDR’s presidency by two West Wyomissing men who worked as machinists.
During the clean up Reading Councilwomen Reed told us that the FDR and other memorials in the area will be included in the October issue of Berks County Living Magazine featuring the fall Monument Tour in Reading’s City Park.
Scheduled for October 6th, 4:30 – 6:30pm the tour will lead groups around City Park to learn the history of each memorial.
Visit the memorial yourself at 43 South Morwood Avenue West Lawn, PA 19609.
