Park District Policy on Naming

Park District Policy on Naming

General Administration

4.01 –PUBLIC PARK AND FACILITY NAMING POLICY-

I.  Purpose

To establish a formal policy and process for naming public park lands and facilities in the Quincy Park District. A sound policy can add meaning and significance that embody the value and heritage of this community.

II. Authorization

The Quincy Park District staff shall be responsible for recommending to the Board of Commissioners the naming of all-public parks and facilities in the Quincy Park District Board of Commissioners.

III. Objectives

  1. Provide name identification for individual parks.
  2. Provide name identification wherever appropriate or public buildings, structures, facilities, and specified areas.
  3. Provide for citizen input into the process of naming parks and facilities as enumerated above.
  4. Insure control for the naming of parks and facilities by the Board of Commissioners through the recommendations of the Quincy Park District Staff.

IV. Qualifying

Names should provide some form of individual identity related to:

  1. The geographic location of the facility
  2. An outstanding feature of the facility
  3. The adjoining subdivision
  4. Commonly recognized historical event, group or individual
  5. An individual or group who contributed significantly to the acquisition or development of the individual facility.
  6. An individual who provided an exceptional service in the interest of the park system as a whole.

V.  Naming Process

  1. At the time parkland or facility is acquired but before development occurs the Executive Director will assign a nondescript temporary working name for the area or facility.
  2. Once the development is initiated the Executive Director will receive naming applications for review by the Quincy Park District Board of Commissioners.
  3. After a name is decided upon by the Board of Commissioners, public notice of the recommended Qualifying Name will occur twice during a sixty (60) day period in the Quincy Herald Whig. Citizen comments and recommendations must be in writing to the Executive Director and be postmarked within the sixty (60) day public-notice period.
  4. For an individual (excluding historically significant individuals) to be considered, that person must have contributed significantly to the acquisition or development of the park or facility or to the park system overall. The recommended name must be accompanied by a biographical sketch which shall provide evidence of contributions to the park, facility, or park system overall.
  5. After the sixty (60) day public notice period, the Executive Director, with the approval of the Board of Commissioners, will submit the recommended name to the Board of Commissioners for final approval.

VI. Renaming

  1. 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.
  2. Only those parks and facilities named for geographic location, outstanding feature or subdivision should be considered for renaming. Parks named by deed restriction cannot be considered for renaming.
  3. Parks and facilities named after individuals should never be changed unless it is found that the individual’s personal character is or was such that the continued use of their name for a park or facility would not be in the best interest of the community. In order for a park or facility to be considered for renaming the following must occur: 
  4. The recommended name must qualify according to Section V of this policy, and;
  5. Be accompanied by a petition from the particular park or facility users.

VII. Other Naming Alternatives

  1. Parks and facilities that are donated to the Quincy Park District can be named by deed restriction by the donor. The naming and acceptance of land is subject to approval by the Board of    Commissioners.
  2. Facilities within parks, i.e. playgrounds, picnic shelters, etc. can be named separately from the parks and facilities they are in, subject to the general approving policies in Section V of this policy.