Fountain Unveiling Remembers Late Councilman

On the two year anniversary of a longtime city councilman’s death, a fountain was dedicated in his name.

West Hollywood city officials honored the memory of Sal Guarriello, who served on the City Council for 19 years until his death at age 90, by unveiling a new fountain in the Sal Guarriello Veterans’ Memorial Park at the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Holloway Drive in his name Friday morning.

“We all know that Sal would be so incredibly proud and so incredibly honored by the recognition that this provides for him and all of our veterans,” said Mayor John Heilman in his dedication.

Guarriello’s nephew Michael Satriano echoed those sentiments, saying that his uncle was an avid veteran, “but the only thing he cared about as much as that was the city of West Hollywood," Satriano said. "He always wanted the best for everyone here.”

The park, which honors the men and women who have served the nation’s military, was completed in 2003. Following his death in 2009, the City Council renamed the public space to honor Guarriello.

Major funding for the project, which cost $246,000, was provided by a State of California grant for $220,000. The balance was from the City's Park Development Fund.

The fountain was the last component of the pocket park, which also has stone shields to represent military strength and an olive tree to represent peace.

Longtime friend and fellow veteran Andy Harland added that the water in the fountain represents the body of water that soldiers must cross to go to war. “There has always been a body of water that you crossed to get to a point to fight a war,” Harland said. 

Calling Guarriello a “crusty” old man and a good friend, Councilmember John Duran credited Guarriello for helping him understand that having a veterans’ memorial does not glorify war, but rather commemorates those that make “sacrifices to defend our freedom.”

Councilmember Abbe Land added, “We are a peace loving city. We’re a city that doesn’t appreciate war. But we certainly appreciate and thank those that step up when they have to.”

Born in Manhattan in 1919, Guarriello served as an army combat medic in World War II where he was wounded in action and received a Purple Heart medal. He was elected to the City Council in 1990, following several years in the Coalition for Economic Survival, and later served on the city’s Rent Stabilization Commission.

Calling Guarriello a “wonderful, complicated, stubborn man,” Donna Saur, Guarriello’s long time council deputy joined the dedication, saying that her former boss loved renters, loved seniors, loved veterans and loved West Hollywood.

“His vision for West Hollywood was this park,” Saur said. “He’d like you to know his vision and his legacy and his gift was the fountain in this park to the people of West Hollywood.”

Despite an unseasonably warm morning, which saw temperatures hit 80 before noon, about 100 people turned out for the unveiling. Attendees described the new fountain as “simple yet moving” and “a lovely piece of art.”

The fountain, which will be lit at night, will spray water daily between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.