GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids is in the process of building a new park on Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, but officials recently hit a snag. The issue isn't with construction but rather what to name this nearly acre-sized green space.
The park under construction in the Roosevelt Park neighborhood will be the city's first new park since 2011.
"Roosevelt Park neighborhood has a brand new park that's being built right here. It's very exciting. It's the first park brand new in the city since 2011," Commissioner AliciaMarie Belchak said.
The city asked the community for naming suggestions, narrowing the options to five choices:
- La Placita
- Maurilia Ortiz Blakely Park
- Navarro Plaza
- Southside Serenity Park
- Unity Park.
A subsequent vote further narrowed the list to two finalists: Navarro Plaza and Unity Park.
"Unity Park represents who we are truly. Over on this west side of Grand Rapids, we are a very diverse community," said Synia Gant-Jordan, a Unity Park name supporter.
"I think it's important to have the park memorialize Miguel and Isabel Navarro. They were pillars, very icons in our community, and pioneers within the Mexican American community," said Jose Flores, a Navarro Plaza name supporter.
The city initially leaned toward naming the green space behind Southwest Middle High School "Navarro Plaza," but commissioners didn't move forward with the decision.
"We had 209 city-wide votes in the online survey, and the top two were 54 (Navarro Plaza) and 51 (Unity Park) votes. In my opinion, with some critical analysis, would look at that and say that's basically a dead heat, statistically," Belchak said.
Flores emphasized the Navarros' significant contributions to the community.
"If you didn't have (Navarro’s) presence here, I think that our progress as community would have been slowed because they were that active. The Mexican Fiesta as an example, the Mexican Patriotic Committee, the Latin American Council that started the Hispanic Center," Flores said.
Gant-Jordan hopes this pause will give the name "Unity Park" another chance.
"They wanted a name that represented the community, it wasn't a personal name. And so that was supposed to be eliminated, but all of a sudden, got back on there," Gant-Jordan said.
Both Gant-Jordan and Flores live and work near this new green space, and both hope to see a park named for what they believe best represents the community.
"What we want is to show the diversity. We want inclusion. We want to know that everybody feels welcome. We want people to know that you're welcome here in this community, and we are about development without displacement. Unity represents truly who we are," Gant-Jordan said.
"It’s just a small symbol to carry the name of the Navarro family, after they have given so much to this community over the years, over the decades that they were alive and people recognize that family," Flores said.
Grand Rapids city commissioners have asked the Parks Department to revisit the naming process with the neighborhood association. They will either consider a combination of "Navarro-Unity" or request another vote between "Navarro Plaza and "Unity Park.”
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