Gary Tomasulo, if he were alive today, would have said the only thing missing at the dedication of the site where a children’s playground will be built at Festival Park were children.

A group of about 50 people attended the dedication, which included a symbolic groundbreaking.

“What a wonderful memorial this is going to be,” said Washington Mayor Archie Jennings during a brief dedication on Washington’s waterfront. “There’s nothing that people enjoy more than the laughter of a child, and we’re going to hear a lot of that coming from this spot in the future.”

Jennings spoke about Tomasulo’s efforts to improve downtown Washington.

“I think one of the things we loved about him was his can-do attitude,” the mayor said. “It’s only fitting that Festival Park be kicked off with this project.”

“To me, this is a symbol of what a community can do when it gets together and decides it needs to do something,” said Ross Hamory, president of the Washington Harbor District Alliance.

“Unfortunately, Gary’s not here to see it,” Hamory noted.

“I’m very pleased that this came together. I thought it would be finished by March 4, because that’s his birthday, but I’m happy it’s started,” said Tomasulo’s widow, Marie, when asked what the project means to the Tomasulo family. “It means a lot to us.”

The dedication occurred on what would have been Tomasulo’s 64th birthday.

Tomasulo, who opened La Bella Pizzeria in downtown Washington in July 2009, died after falling from a fire escape on a downtown building on Labor Day 2009. Tomasulo, president of the Historic Downtown Washington Merchants Association at the time of his death, was working in and around an apartment located above Main Street Scoops, a building that he purchased earlier that year, when he fell some three stories.

After his death, Tomasulo’s family established the Gary Tomasulo Downtown Washington Playground Fund. At a City Council meeting last month, Tomasulo’s widow, Marie, presented a $25,000 check to the city to help pay for the playground.

Tomasulo, who spent more than 20 years as a corrections officer and captain at Rikers Island in New York City, moved to Washington with his wife, Marie, in 2001. It didn’t take the Brooklynite long to break into his new town.

Tomasulo was chosen as president of the Historic Downtown Washington Merchants Association by 2002, although he didn’t open his own “mom-and-pop” business downtown č La Bella Pizzeria č until early July.

Tomasulo was instrumental in further developing and running downtown festivals like Smoke on the Water and Music in the Streets.

Part of the playground equipment, according to illustrations at the dedication, resembles a schooner. It has a bow, masts with sails and a stern. The bow structure serves as a climbing area. A slide protrudes from the stern. Under the masts and sails are several activity areas. Swings are part of the playground.

It’s unclear when construction of the playground will begin.