HILLSDALE, N.J.—The borough hopes to honor an “extraordinary legacy” created by the D’Alessandro family by renaming a local street in recognition of the family’s decades of work to pass child-safety laws and support child-protection efforts following the murder of 7-year-old Joan D’Alessandro in 1973.
Following a brief discussion, the council voted unanimously July 14 to move forward with the honorary renaming of a local street and authorized the administrator to contact Rosemarie Birri D’Alessandro to discuss the details. Rosemarie, Joan’s mother, has been a child-safety advocate for decades.
Her sons, John and Michael, have been at her side all along, and help organize and run such local staples as the annual Child Safety Festival.
Councilman Anthony DeRosa, a member of the borough’s Naming Committee, said the committee had considered Rosemarie D’Alessandro’s recent request to rename the family’s street “Joan’s Way” in her daughter’s honor.
However, DeRosa said the committee noted that four memorials to Joan D’Alessandro already exist around town: a sign at the Memorial Field House installed in 1994; a memorial tree planted at Veterans Park in 2003; a grotto at St. John the Baptist Church; and a white butterfly garden installed at the Hillsdale train station in 2014.
The Naming Committee concluded that, rather than establish another memorial, it would be “more fitting to recognize the extraordinary legacy of the entire D’Alessandro family,” DeRosa told the council.
“In the face of unimaginable tragedy, the family transformed their grief into decades of advocacy and service,” DeRosa said.
He said that work helped lead to the passage and strengthening of “Joan’s Law,” supported efforts opposing parole for Joan’s murderer, helped establish the Joan’s Joy Foundation to assist hundreds of at-risk children, and promoted child-safety awareness through education and community outreach.
“Their work has undoubtedly protected countless children and stands as a legacy that extends well beyond,” DeRosa said.
In 2021, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office named its Child Advocacy Center in Paramus in Rosemarie D’Alessandro’s honor, recognizing her decades of work on behalf of child victims and their families.
The committee recommended that honorary street signs be installed beneath the existing Florence Street signs at Clinton and Florence streets and at St. Nicholas Avenue and Florence Street.
After unanimously approving the honorary street renaming, the council authorized Administrator Michael Ghassali to contact Rosemarie D’Alessandro and discuss the recognition.
DPW Superintendent Barry Petersen said it would take about four weeks to have the honorary signs created and delivered because of proofing and turnaround time.
DeRosa said that, consistent with the borough’s prior honorary signs, the new signs would be blue and display the name “D’Alessandro Way.” They also would include an image of a white butterfly, a symbol long associated with Joan D’Alessandro’s memory and legacy.
The committee hopes the honorary signs can be installed during a special ceremony in September, DeRosa said. Joan’s birthday was Sept. 7.
Ghassali said the borough has installed honorary street signs around town and noted that the cost is “not that expensive.”
Other Naming Committee members are Peter Hard, a local historian and retired police officer; Rick Savino, an Environmental Commission member; Police Lt. Matthew Buesser; Edward Grill, a Recreation Committee member; and Planning Board member Edward Alter.
Mayor Michael Sheinfield appointed the committee to vet potential local honorees.