LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) - Laramie Parks and Recreation Department officials are getting guidance following an uproar over a decision to rename Optimist Park to honor the Rotary Club of Laramie.
The Rotary Club offered to donate $25,000 for improvements to the park.
Laramie Parks and Recreation Department Director Todd Feezer said there are reasons that parks got their names and he said it isn’t wise to try to change them.
“It’s important because naming and renaming of parks can sometimes become volatile,” Feezer said. “There is obviously a reason parks have been named a certain way.”
Under the city’s policy, Laramie residents, the director of Laramie Parks and Recreation Department, or any member of the Parks, Tree and Recreation Advisory Board can propose a name for a park or facility. Names are restricted to an event, a deceased person, a donor or group of donors or a place name.
According to the city’s policy, unacceptable names include living persons, churches or religious groups, political organizations and businesses or commercial enterprises.
Councilor Paul Weaver said it’s up to the council to make the final decisions, but he said members of the public would have an opportunity to have their voices heard, the Laramie Boomerang reported (https://tinyurl.com/j67t92j).
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Information from: Laramie Boomerang, https://www.laramieboomerang.com
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