Mike Rush said he hopes he can make the city of Delaware’s parks better. If they can be any better, he added.
The resident of nearly 50 years and a new member on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board was welcomed with a 20-minute-long meeting Tuesday where the board made recommendations for City Council consideration of a new naming policy for parks and facilities and the installation of activity stations at Blue Limestone Park and the Spray and Play at Veterans Park.
The city does not have a policy to name or rename, respectively, new and existing parks as of now. Parks and Natural Resources Department Director Ted Miller said the policy would set guidelines whenever residents submit request to rename existing parks, while adding significance to the names of new parks.
“I really think this is good for the city to have in place,” he said.
Miller said he’s contacted periodically about renaming East Side Park to honor the late Dick Bennett, was instrumental in the development of the neighborhood park along Kurrley Street, where he lived.
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.
Bennett, who died in October 2015, would be an eligible candidate as the proposed policy would allow the city to rename parks after individuals who’ve been deceased for a year instead of waiting three years.
In other business, the board approved 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. Miller presented the placement of each of the park’s 10 markers that are activity stations for families with toddlers.
The markers will be installed at different days in May, Miller said. Volunteers will handle the maintenance of the stations and will help the city with installation.
