Charlottesville City Council changes the names of two renamed parks

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Charlottesville City Council changes the names of two renamed parks

The Daily Progress staff reports 10 hrs ago

A year after changing the names of two parks named for Confederate generals, Charlottesville City Council has decided to rename them again. ... On Monday night, councilors voted, 4-1, to change Emancipation Park, formerly Lee Park, to Market Street Park and Justice Park, formerly Jackson Park, to Court Square Park.
....

The tumultuous discussions over renaming the two parks began in 2016. ... Tasked with studying the city’s Confederate imagery, its history of white supremacy and its suppression of black history, the Blue Ribbon Commission on Race, Memorials and Public Spaces two years ago recommended renaming Lee and Jackson parks, which were named for their statues of Confederate Gens. Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.

Market Street and Court Square had been presented among other “top appropriate suggestions” when councilors decided to rename the parks in June 2017. At the time, Bellamy and then-Mayor Mike Signer saw a “leadership” opportunity in moving ahead with renaming the parks despite a lack of popular support at the time for the names “Emancipation” and “Justice.”
....

In a nearly two-month-long survey that ended June 30, 961 people said they were prefer renaming Emancipation Park to Market Street Park, while 316 people, or 11 percent, wrote down Lee Park. ... A majority of the votes for renaming Justice Park, 1,646, called for renaming it Court Square Park. Nearly 500 people voted to retain the current name, while another 280 people voted to call it Jackson Park again. ... The change to Market Street Park and Court Square Park comes less than a month before Kessler’s planned Unite the Right anniversary rally, though documents have shown he is focusing on demonstrating in Lafayette Park in Washington, D.C., while he tangles with a legal battle with the city of Charlottesville.

Send news tips to [e-mail], call [phone], tweet us @DailyProgress or send us a Facebook message here.

[Yonnie3]

1. I just popped in to post this.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. Yeah, sorry, it was a hit and run kind of thing. I thought you might have taken the day off. NT

[Yonnie3]

4. No sorry needed.

I don't have dibbs on this group.

My thought was along the lines of "great minds think alike."

[The River]

3. Court Square

is hardly a park. The entire block is dominated by the courthouse and a modest amount lawn on 2 sides only. The area has always been known as Courthouse Square.
But, I agree with the renaming even if I no longer live there.