ERIE, Pa. — Erie’s iconic Bicentennial Tower is celebrating 30 years on the waterfront, and the milestone came with a colorful addition to the city’s bayfront.

The Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority hosted the tower’s official 30th birthday celebration Monday, bringing together community leaders, former city officials and bayfront partners to reflect on the landmark’s history and discuss its future.

The celebration also included the unveiling of the final bell in the America 250 Bells Across Pennsylvania public art initiative. Located at East Dobbins Landing, the new bell features colorful artwork celebrating the aquatic life found in the region.

Standing 187 feet tall, the Bicentennial Tower has become a recognizable symbol of Erie’s waterfront revitalization since opening three decades ago.

Port Authority Executive Director Julie Slomski welcomed guests to the celebration, which also recognized former Erie Mayor Joyce Savocchio’s role in promoting the tower and the waterfront.

Current Mayor Daria Devlin says she hopes to build on that legacy by making the area even more inviting to residents and visitors.

“I want to see how we can really double down on that and make it really a place almost like the bookend of Perry Square,” Devlin said, envisioning a connection between Perry Square on State Street and the tower. “How can we have that space be more inviting for the public? That’s what I’m focused on.”

Former City Council members and Port Authority leaders who helped push the tower project forward more than 30 years ago also attended the celebration.

Former Council member Gayle Wright recalled the effort it took to secure enough support for the project.

“We needed four votes. The mayor was very supportive, and it was an effort to make this happen, and it was well worth it, so I’m glad to be here today,” Wright said.

New bell celebrates Erie’s aquatic life

Following the tower celebration, attendees moved to East Dobbins Landing for the unveiling of the final bell in the America 250 Bells Across Pennsylvania initiative.

Tim Wachter, an America250PA commissioner, said the bell is part of a larger collection of more than 120 bells located throughout the Commonwealth.

“As part of a larger network of over 120 bells throughout the Commonwealth, we believe this to be the nation’s largest public art initiative,” Wachter said. “As a result of that, people are traveling throughout the Commonwealth to come see these bells.”

Unlike a traditional bell, Erie’s new installation does not ring. Instead, its artwork celebrates the region’s aquatic life, with every fish found in the area represented in the design.

Artist Aaron Homerski said the project became a community effort, with approximately 30 to 40 people helping paint the fish.

“Some people did more than one fish, which was welcome to me,” Homerski said. “We had about four left over that I ended up doing, but it was quite a lot of people.”

Devlin even contributed to the artwork, painting fins and a fish.

“Luckily all you had to do was color within the lines,” the mayor joked. “As long as I don’t have to draw, I was OK.”

She praised the project as another example of community involvement on the waterfront.

Looking ahead for Erie’s waterfront

Devlin said the potential of the Bicentennial Tower and Dobbins Landing has also attracted attention beyond Erie.

At a recent national conference, she said, architects and consultants expressed admiration for Erie’s waterfront and its possibilities.

Now, the mayor says she is considering ways to make the area even more welcoming and to build on the tower’s role as a centerpiece of the bayfront.

Thirty years after it first became part of Erie’s skyline, the Bicentennial Tower remains a reminder of how far the waterfront has come — and of the opportunities still ahead.