City of Erie unveils street sign for longtime public servant Pat Cappabianca
The city of Erie paid tribute to longtime city councilmember, educator and public servant Pat Cappabianca on Friday by dedicating a street sign to his name on Chestnut Street, between west 16th and 18th streets, in Erie's Little Italy neighborhood.
Cappabianca, 90, said he was "thrilled" by the sign — titled "Via Pat Cappabianca" — and said he accepted the honor not only for himself but the scores of Italian immigrants who've contributed to the Erie community.
"If you wanted to name a street after all the people that came out of Little Italy that contributed something to the city of Erie, you wouldn't have enough streets," Cappabianca said.
City Council President Chuck Nelson, who opened the ceremony, said the Cappabianca street sign was put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic and never got a proper unveiling. He said he was happy to officially pay tribute to Cappabianca who he described as a "pillar of our community."
Cappabianca was an Erie city councilman for 28 years, a principal of Roosevelt Middle School from 1972-1987, and regional administrator of the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue under Gov. Bob Casey. He's also served on multiple committees, boards, commissions and authorities.
Also attending Friday's unveiling were Mayor Joe Schember; former mayors Richard Filippi and Joyce Savocchio; members of Erie City Council; and a gathering of family, friends and residents.
Cappabianca remembers Pearl Harbor: Q&A: Erie native remembers news of Pearl Harbor bombings
A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on X @ETNRao.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie honors longtime public servant Pat Cappabianca with street sign
