Hamilton Post
APRIL 2019
COMMUNITYNEWS.ORG
Not all fun and games
Mansion returns to former glory
Yaede touches on entertainment district, township controversies in final address before 2019 election
Rare tour of restored White City residence part of Marsh History Weekend By micheLe ALPeRin Standing high on a bluff overlooking Abbott Marsh is White City Mansion, 301 Harrison Ave., in Hamilton. Built as a farmhouse in 1820, the house reached its glory as the Casino Restaurant between 1907 and 1921, serving customers at the White City Amusement Park that surrounded it and in its heyday drew thousands. Remnants of its past—a fountain in front and stonework at the entrance—remained near the condemned house when Suzy Abbott’s husband, Turner, saw the house on the internet and was intrigued by it. In August 2009, the Abbotts, who were preparing to downsize from their 4-bedroom split-level on a 3/4-acre lot in Pennington to a townhouse in Ewing, decided to check out the majestic but unlivable house. When they arrived, the house was hidden behind trees, the driveway loop was mostly buried under ivy, and the garage had collapsed. But when they walked in and saw the graceful arches and the two fireplaces in the living room, Abbott says, “It was immediate that we were supSee MANSION, Page 10
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Hamilton resident John Rossi will run the Boston Marathon April 15 as part of an effort to raise $10,000 for cancer treatment and research.
Running for a reason Endurance athlete deals with adversity by running for charity By LAuRA PoLLAcK When Hamilton resident John Rossi runs down Boylston Street on April 15, he will be thinking about everything and everyone that helped bring him to the final stretch of the country’s most iconic marathon. “There’s a lot that you think about in that last .2 miles,” the Hamilton resident said. “The
work you put in to get there, the charity you’re running for, the people who supported you— whether it be financially or emotionally—some personal pride.” Rossi is running the Boston Marathon this year as part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge. He teamed up with 500 other runners who committed to raising a total of $6 million for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Rossi individually pledged $10,000 to the cause. The money raised by the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge will benefit adult and pediatric cancer treatment and research. More than 1.6 mil-
lion cancer cases were reported in 2015, according to the CDC, and Rossi wants the money he raises to treat as many different types of cancer as possible. “I don’t think you can walk around this world and not know somebody who knows somebody who has been affected by cancer,” Rossi said. “My sisterin-law got breast cancer, my friend died of cancer. It’s hard to deal with.” One of the ways Rossi deals with life’s adversity is to run for charity. The 55-year-old has an extensive running resume— completing five marathons, See BOSTON, Page 14
Four years ago, Hamilton Mayor Kelly Yaede “had a vision” for the township’s future. Now it could become a reality, Yaede said in her final State of Hamilton address before she faces re-election. Yaede introduced her plan to bring an “entertainment district” to the township during her 2015 State of Hamilton speech, an announcement that was kicked into a higher gear thanks to an appearance by former Mayor Jack Rafferty in a go-kart. This year, Yaede said the township has entered the final lap before that promise becomes a reality. She discussed those plans, plus development, taxes and her administration’s controversies at this year’s speech, held March 20 at the Stone Terrace. A portion of the profits from the address, she said, will benefit City of Angels, Recovery Advocates of America, and The Overdose Prevention Agency Corporation. Rafferty wanted to get back behind the wheel, Yaede said, because three family entertainment centers—yes, including See YAEDE, Page 16
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