New Memorial at Latrobe Park for Shirley and Victor Doda, Sr.

News Release | August 20, 2015 | 0 Comments

On August 15th, the new memorial to Shirley and Victor Doda, Sr. was dedicated in Locust Point’s Latrobe Park. In the early 1970’s the Dodas led the community in a campaign to prevent the final section of I-95 from slicing through the center of Locust Point and connecting to a proposed eight lane bridge system traversing over Fort McHenry.

After a five year battle with Mayor Donald Schaefer and City Hall, as well as the State and Federal Governments, the Dodas and their community supporters succeeded in having the route of I-95 changed to the tunnel system that exists today. To help with this effort, the Locust Point Civic Association was established and Victor became its first and longtime president. His wife Shirley started the annual Locust Point Festival, which still occurs each September, to help pay legal bills incurred by the campaign.

In the 1980’s a wooden memorial was placed in Latrobe Park to commemorate Victor, who had recently died. However, over the years it had deteriorated badly and could not be restored. At the suggestion of the Board of Directors of the Locust Point Civic Association, a year long fund raising effort was begun to create a more fitting and longer lasting tribute to BOTH Victor and Shirley. Thanks to donations from over 100 residents and local small businesses, $14,000 was raised to construct the new Doda Memorial Plaza in Latrobe Park and donate it to the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks. This new memorial represents the commitment of both long time and newer residents of Locust Point to commemorate an important historical achievement, as well as to further improve the appearance of their community park that was designed by the architectural design firm of Frederick Law Olmsted.

Content Provided by Loren Duffey of the Locust Point Civic Association