Shiway and Sadie Barry Memorial Dedication Ceremony Is Friday

Last year, violence took the life of a beloved Duluth family and now the City of Duluth and the loved ones of the Barry family are inviting the public to a dedication ceremony on Friday to honor their memory.

According to the City, the ceremony is an opportunity for community members to come together to remember and celebrate the lives of Shiway and Sadie Barry, and to celebrate the recent Chester Park playground improvements completed in their honor.

The ceremony will take place on Friday, September 29, at 3:00 p.m., at the Chester Park playground, located at 1801 E Skyline Drive.

The City of Duluth Parks and Recreation Department shared the invitation on their Facebook page:

Please join us as we celebrate the addition of a new spinner element, wheelchair access to the playground, a new accessibility swing, and a memorial bench - all in memory of Shiway and Sadie.
We will have a small ceremony with bubbles and cupcakes. All are welcome to attend as we dedicate these improvements to our dear friends in a place we got to spend so much time together.

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It was April 2022, when the lives of the Barry family – Riana (44), Sean (47), Shiway (12), and Sadie (9) – were tragically taken by gun violence. The City says that Chester Park was a beloved destination for the Barry family, especially for Shiway and Sadie.

Loved ones of the Barry family, in cooperation with City staff, have since come together to coordinate a memorial project at the Chester Park playground. Family, friends, and community members raised $22,000 to support adding a new spinner element and an accessible swing, converting the fall zone from sand to engineered wood fiber, incorporating an accessible pathway to the playground, and installing a bench in remembrance of the children. Additional funding support for the project came from the Parks Capital Fund.

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