Community Board 11 wants Dominic Castore’s name to live on in the community forever.
The board – covering Morris Park, Van Nest, Allerton and Pelham Parkway – has requested that the Community Education Council name a new school on Lydig Avenue after the long time board chairman, who passed away last November.
CB 11 chairman Anthony Vitaliano, who received a letter from the CEC asking the community to come up with a name for the new school, said he could not think of someone more deserving for the honor.
“I thought Dom’s name was most appropriate,” Vitaliano said. “I talked with a few members of the board, and we thought he more than qualified.
“He was the chairman at the board for more than 30 years, and he started the Morris Park Community Association,” Vitaliano continued. “There wasn’t anyone more community-oriented than him. It was an automatic no- brainer.”
The new school at 800 Lydig Avenue, simply referred to as P.S. 292, will open in September.
Vitaliano said the board submitted Castore’s name at an April 4 CEC hearing.
“There was another name submitted during the meeting by the family of a rabbi in the neighborhood, but not too long after the meeting, the family withdrew their request to have the school named after him, and that left Dom’s name the only name submitted,” Vitaliano said.
The CEC then submitted the Castore resolution to the city Department of Education.
“Right now, DOE’s legal division is vetting the name,” said Vicki Javier, policy and communications adviser for Councilman Jimmy Vacca. “It might be a few weeks before we know the final word.”
Vacca said having a school named after Castore, will help his memory live on in the neighborhood.
“Having a neighborhood school named in Dom Castore’s honor will allow his work to live in perpetuity,” Vacca said. “His legacy will no doubt instill community spirit in the students as it has for so many in the neighborhood.”
Kirsten Sanchez can be reach via e-mail at ksanchez@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 742-3394
