The discussion will continue Tuesday for Delaware’s proposed naming policy of its parks and facilities.
The city’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board will consider a recommendation for a policy that would provide a process to name or rename its parks or a portion such as a fountain, field or playground.
Delaware Parks and Natural Resources Department Director Ted Miller said the policy would help the city add significance to naming new parks. In the past, he said parks were named without much thought and for a particular trait.
At the same time, the policy would provide barriers for renaming parks too many times, he said.
The renaming portion of the policy states: “The intent of naming is for permanent recognition. The renaming of parks and facilities is strongly discouraged. It is recommended that efforts to change a name be subject to the most crucial examination so as not to diminish the original justification for the name or discount the value of the prior contributors. Parks named for subjects, other than individuals, may be changed in name only if the current name is ineffectual or inappropriate.”
Miller said it would help prevent the city from renaming areas such as Mingo Park, but allow the city to consider renaming areas such as East Side Park.
Pat Yankie, a chief deputy of the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, requested the city to rename that park after the late Dick Bennett about a year ago. Bennett was a police officer for 20 years and was instrumental in the development of the neighborhood park along Kurrley Street, where he lived.
The board discussed a first draft of the policy last fall. Since then another change would allow the city to rename parks after an individuals who’ve been deceased for a year instead of three years.
Bennett died in October 2015.
In other business, the board will consider a recommendation to partner with United Way of Delaware County to have Born Learning Trails at the Spray and Play at Veterans Park and Blue Limestone Park. Board members will consider the placement of each park’s 10 markers that are activity stations for families with toddler children.
The meeting will take place at City Hall, 1. S. Sandusky St., 7 p.m. in council chambers.
