Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Obama Park on 14th and Girard?


The CH listserv lit-up with chatter over a poll about naming the newly updated (and beautiful!) park at 14th and Girard.

A poll by "Friends of Girard Park" put "Obama Park" in first place with 66 votes, followed by "Jim Graham Park" with 25 votes. The Heights Life thinks these are both excellent names, but wonders whether the latter should win so that we can get a bust of Jim Graham in the neighborhood.

Some folks seemed angry that they didn't get to vote, but Council Member Graham says everyone will have a chance to weigh in before a final decision is made. Moreover, the City Council will have to pass legislation to get it done.

UPDATE: Councilman Graham did indeed introduce a bill today to rename the 14th and Girard park "Barack Hussein Obama Park," but it looks like he didn't quite do his research. The Washington Post reports:
According to the D.C. Code, "No public space in the District shall be named in honor of any living person, or in honor of any person who has been deceased less than 2 years, unless the deceased person was a President or Vice President of the United States, a United States Senator or Representative, a Mayor of the District of Columbia, or a member of the Council of the District of Columbia."

2 comments:

Pete Witte said...

I have an alternative suggestion for the renaming of Girard Street Park:
http://wordsofwitte.wordpress.com/2009/07/15/whats-in-a-name-anyway-hope/

Anonymous said...

Considering my window looks out onto the park (and I heard every freaking minute of the construction) do I get a vote?