LOCAL LEGEND TO BE GIVEN MEMORABLE HONOR

Rocco Miano, also known as Rocky, was the founder of the Morris Park Community Patrol and longtime officer to the Morris Park Community Association. This spring, Miano will have the street he lived on named after him. Miano, who passed away in November 2009 at the age of 78, will always be remembered for how much he cared and contributed to the Morris Park community.

The street he lived on, Hone Avenue, between Morris Park Avenue and Rhinelander Avenue, will soon also be known as Rocco Miano Way. City Councilman Jimmy Vacca announced on Monday December 20 that the bill he sponsored to name the street after Miano was approved by the New York City Council and signed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

“Renaming a street is one of the greatest tributes we can bestow on those who give so much of their lives to serving their community,” said Vacca. “I knew Rocky personally, and he put his community first, dedicating countless hours to provide a voice and a face for his neighbors.”

Miano served over 50 years of neighborhood work to the Morris Park community. He was one of 10 children born and raised in Morris Park. Long-time residents of the community knew Miano well and could always find him on Morris Park Avenue making sure that everything was safe in the neighborhood he loved. Al D’Angelo, president of the MPCA, believes that this is a well deserved honor to a man who always went out of his way to make sure the community was well maintained.

“Everybody used to call him the mayor of Morris Park because of everything that he did for the community,” said D’Angelo. “He truly cared for the Morris Park neighborhood and Hone Avenue being named after him is good for our community because it shows we will always remember what he had done. It really is an excellent tribute for him and his whole family.”

A good portion of Miano’s closest relatives still reside in the Morris Park neighborhood. Cathy Miano, who was married to Rocco for 52 years before he passed away last November, still resides in the same house on Hone Avenue. She was beyond ecstatic when she was told that the street was to be named after her husband. She believes this is an honor not only for Rocky, but for their entire family.

“I feel it is a wonderful tribute to Rocky for all that he did,” she said. “I used to tease him and say that they would build a statue of him on Morris Park Avenue after he passed away. For me, I think our street being named after him is even better and our entire family is excited and looking forward to it.”

Since the bill was approved while the weather began to get cold, the Miano family requested that the ceremony be held off until the warmer months. Once the date is announced, the family hopes that residents of the community will come pay homage and celebrate the life and memory of the beloved Rocco Miano.