HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2009-0013CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO
RESOLUTION NO. 13
Series of 2009
TITLE: A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE POLICY AND PROCEDURE
FOR NAMING PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
PARKS AND FACILITIES
WHEREAS, park and facility names are often as enduring as the property itself, the City
of Wheat Ridge wishes to formally adopt a policy and procedure for naming parks and facilities
and;
WHEREAS, this policy amends the current policy last adopted in 1992 and;
WHEREAS, the Parks and Recreation Commission recommends the amendments to the
policy; and;
WHEREAS, this policy lists the park and facility names, dates and justification or
history of these names, and;
WHEREAS, adoption of this policy defines the authority, guidelines and criteria for park
and facility naming;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Wheat Ridge City Council, that:
The City of Wheat Ridge adopts the Policy and Procedure for Naming Parks and
Recreation Department Parks and Facilities.
This Resolution shall be effective upon adoption.
DONE AND RESOLVED THIS 23`d day of February, 2009.
Je 4 ullio, Mayor
ATTEST:
Michael Snow, City Clerk
POLICY AND PROCEDURE FOR NAMING
PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT PARKS AND FACILITIES
Adopted by Resolutionl3-2009 (/~A a,3 , 2009)
General - Park and facilities names are often as enduring as the property itself; therefore, the
selection of a proper name is, and should be, a serious matter. Selections should attempt to
induce a dynamic community impact, add credibility to the park or facility, create a cohesive
theme, express appreciation, create lasting public relations, promote education, lift the mind
and bond our heritage and very being to the land.
1) Authority to Name or Rename:
a) Any park, parkway, recreation building, swimming pool, ball field, or any other
facility managed and controlled by the Parks and Recreation Department of the City
of Wheat Ridge, hereinafter called park and/or facility, shall be named or renamed
only by the Parks and Recreation Commission on affirmative vote of 2/3 majority of
all members of said commission present.
b) The name shall then become the official name upon approval of a 2/3 majority of the
City Council
c) If the recommended name is not approved by City Council, the item shall be referred
back to the Parks and Recreation Commission.
2) Naming Proposals:
a) Proposals to name any park and/or facility may be initiated by any Parks and
Recreation Commission member at any regular meeting of the commission. Also,
any citizen of Wheat Ridge or the Director of Parks and Recreation may submit
proposals in writing or by personal appearance at any regular meeting of the
commission.
b) Any such proposals must include reasons for the proposed name and as much
evidence as possible in the form of letters, petitions, and/or personal appearance at a
Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, of neighborhood or community support
of the proposed name.
c) Any such letters or petitions must certify that each signer is or has been a resident of
the City of Wheat Ridge, show each signer's address and telephone number.
d) The Parks and Recreation Commission, through the Parks and Recreation
Department, may but is not required to solicit names from the general public for park
naming.
Policy and Procedure for Naming Page 2
Parks and Recreation Department Parks and Facilities
i) Park names may be solicited within parameters established by the Parks and
Recreation Commission for a specific site.
ii) Time limits for name considerations will be established by the Parks and
Recreation Commission on an individual park basis.
3) Naming Guidelines:
a) All proposed names shall meet one or more of the following guidelines. However,
the Parks and Recreation Commission may waive any or all of these guidelines upon
a motion approved by a majority of commission members present.
b) A park and/or facility may be named for:
i) An event; provided such event directly affected, affects or would be meaningful
to the citizens of Wheat Ridge.
ii) A deceased person; provided the person has been known to be of good character,
known to have never been convicted of a felony, and has contributed to the
betterment of Wheat Ridge in some greater than average manner or who was of
historic significance to the City, County, State or Nation.
iii) A living person; provided he/she has met all selection guidelines for a deceased
person and who in addition has been exceptionally outstanding in his/her
contribution to the betterment of Wheat Ridge. In addition, a written approval
signed by the said person, agreeing to the naming, must be submitted with the
proposal.
iv) A donor or group of donors of land, considerable property, or money, provided
such donation was large and significant or represented considerable sacrifice by
the donor or donors.
v) A place name, such as the neighborhood where located or a geographical or man-
made feature; provided this name tends to identify the location or character of the
park and/or facility.
4) Unacceptable Names:
Generally, no park and/or facility may be named for any of the following unless waived
by a majority of the Parks and Recreation Commission members:
a) Any person, living or deceased, who has had no connection with Wheat Ridge,
excepting persons of historical significance to the City, County, State or Nation.
Policy and Procedure for Naming Page 3
Parks and Recreation Department Parks and Facilities
b) Any church or religious organization, political organization, service club, fraternity
organization or any other organized group unless they fully meet the guidelines listed
above.
5) Existing names:
a) This policy has no effect on existing official and/or accepted names of parks and/or
facilities.
b) The following such names are hereby designated as official names upon passage of
this policy:
i) Anderson Community Building - a building in Wheat Ridge at West 44th
Avenue and Field Street named in honor of Wheat Ridge's first Mayor by
action of City Council.
ii) Anderson Park - a park at West 44th Avenue and Field Street, originally
named Wheat Ridge Park was renamed in honor of the first Mayor of Wheat
Ridge by action of City Council.
iii) Apel-Bacher Park - a park at West 45th Avenue and Vance Street named for
historic landowners of the property.
iv) Boyd's Crossing Park - a park at West 45th Avenue and Everett Street named
for a historic site used to cross Clear Creek.
V) Clear Creek Greenbelt Park - park areas along Clear Creek owned and leased,
excepting those areas with other names - Johnson, Anderson and Prospect.
vi) Creekside Park - a park located at 49th and Marshall Street named for its
geographic location adjacent to Clear Creek including Manwaring Field
named through the Colorado Rockies Field-of-Dreams Program and named
after Rockies catcher Kirt Manwaring who personally contributed funding.
vii) Founders' Park - a park at 37th Avenue and Jay Street, a former carnation
greenhouse site named for all of the founders of the Wheat Ridge Community.
viii) "Hank' Stites Park - a park at West 29th and Newland Street named in honor
of Mayor Frank (Hank) Stites who was also a long time member of the Wheat
Ridge Recreation District Board.
ix) Happiness Gardens - a community garden at 4226 Ammons Street named to
recognize the happiness that gardening would bring to the students of
Wilmore Davis elementary school who were being encouraged to participate.
x) Hayward Park - a park at West 29th Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard
named in honor of the previous owner by Parks and Recreation Commission
action.
xi) Historical Park - a park at 46th Avenue and Robb Street named by general
usage (including Sod House, Coulihan Cabin, the first Wheat Ridge Post
Office and Museum).
Policy and Procedure for Naming Page 4
Parks and Recreation Department Parks and Facilities
xii) Horace E. Randall Park - a park at 43rd Avenue and Fenton Street named by
the board of the Wheat Ridge Recreation District in honor of a board member,
secretary of said board for many years, who in this capacity did much for
parks and recreation in the area.
xiii) Johnson Park - a park at Clear Creek and Wadsworth Boulevard. The easterly
portion was named by the donor in honor of his deceased wife, Elizabeth
Johnson, as a condition of the gift to the Wheat Ridge Lions Club (who
subsequently donated the park to the Wheat Ridge Recreation District). The
westerly portion was named Samuel Johnson Park in honor of the donor,
Judge Samuel Johnson. Subsequent additions to this park between
Wadsworth Boulevard and West 44th Avenue by the City of Wheat Ridge,
also bear the name Johnson Park.
xiv) Panorama Park - a park at 35th Avenue and Depew Street named by contest
when under the jurisdiction of the Wheat Ridge Recreation District.
xv) Paramount Park - a park at West 27th Avenue and Kipling Street named for
the subdivision in which it was located when under the jurisdiction of the
Prospect Recreation District.
xvi) Prospect Park - a park at West 44th Avenue and Robb Street named while
under the jurisdiction of the Prospect Recreation District in honor of early
prospectors who came up Clear Creek.
xvii) Richards-Hart Estate - a park and historic mansion located at West 28th
Avenue and Benton Street and named for the original owneribuilder and the
owner in longest residence.
xviii) Wheat Ridge Municipal Pool - the name given to the outdoor pool located in
Anderson Park at 44a' and Field when it was constructed and opened to the
public in 1980.
xix) Wheat Ridge Recreation Center - Represents the geographical location of the
Center. Named by City Council action.
xx) Wheat Ridge Senior/Community Center - a building at 6363 W. 35th Avenue
used by the seniors of Wheat Ridge and as a community center for
recreational programming for the citizens of Wheat Ridge. Named by City
Council action.
6) Renaming Guidelines:
The renaming of parks and facilities is strongly discouraged. It is recommended that
efforts to change a name be subject to the most critical examination so as not to diminish
the original justification for the name or discount the value of the prior contributors. A
renaming or change in name will be considered for the following circumstances:
a) Only those parks and facilities named for a location or subdivision shall be
considered for renaming.
Policy and Procedure for Naming Page 5
Parks and Recreation Department Parks and Facilities
b) Parks and facilities named after individuals shall never be changed unless it is found
that the individual's personal character is or was such that the continued use of the
name for a park or facility would not be in the best interest of the community.
This policy and procedure shall become effective and binding upon the Parks and Recreation
Department and the Parks and Recreation Commission as soon as it has been formally
adopted by a 2/3 majority of the members of the Parks and Recreation Commission present,
and a 2/3 majority of City Council. This policy and procedure shall continue in effect
regardless of member changes of the Commission, but may be amended, done away with, or
re-written at any time by a majority assenting vote of the Commission members present and a
majority of City Council.
The above Policy and Procedure for Naming Parks and Recreation Department Parks and
Facilities was adopted by a majority of the members of the Parks and Recreation
Commission present at the regular meeting held January 21, 2009.
Ralph Hughes, Chair
Parks and Recreation Commission
The above policy and procedure was confirm~ed and approved by Resolution by a majority of
City Council at a regular meeting held ns~
Je y io, Mayor
ATTEST:
Michael Snow, City Clerk