B1: Director's Memo to Board Chair — original pdf

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M E M O R A N D U M TO: Dawn Lewis, Chairperson of the Parks and Recreation Board FROM: DATE: Kimberly A. McNeeley, M.Ed., CPRP, Director Director, Austin Parks and Recreation Department June 18, 2021 SUBJECT: Endorsement of the Renaming of Payton Gin Pocket Park This memorandum serves as my endorsement for renaming Payton Gin Pocket Park to Heron Hollow Pocket Park. Process At the Austin Parks and Recreation Board (Board) meeting on May 25, 2021, the Board directed the Parks and Recreation Department (Department) to initiate additional community engagement, as outlined in current municipal code, to supplement the initial naming process that took place in the early 2000s. This memorandum is the submission of the completed endorsement to the chair of the Parks and Recreation Board according to subsection 14-1-39(F). Background On June 29, 2000, the Austin City Council passed an ordinance adopting the North Austin Civic Association (NACA) Neighborhood Plan. Amongst other actions, this Neighborhood Plan called for the creation of a pocket park at the Old Fiskville site located at Lamar Boulevard and Payton Gin Road. The Plan also called for assistance to recognize the site as a local historical site. In the early 2000s, NACA conducted a contest and community engagement process to name the park. “Heron Hollow Park” was the name that was selected; however, the renaming was never memorialized by the Department and there is no archive of this process. As a result, the Department refers to this site as the Payton Gin Pocket Park because of its geographical location. Following the reaffirmation of NACA’s commitment to the name, NACA requested that the Department officially rename the park to “Heron Hollow Pocket Park.” In addition to the history of public engagement, testimony, and recorded meetings that are considered to be evidence supporting the name Heron Hollow, the Department initiated an engagement process to ensure that we are receiving current feedback from the community. Community Engagement The renaming ordinance requires the Department to “take reasonable steps to inform persons who are likely to have an interest . . . consider[ing] the nature and location of the facility and whether a particular community is likely to be especially interested in the process.” To achieve this goal, the Department focused on the geographic area of the pocket park as well as connecting to park visitors. The Department reached out to people connected to the NACA community and sent general notices across the city through Facebook and Nextdoor. In addition, the Department set up a canopy and tent to connect directly with visitors of the park on two Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Community comments were collected online and in-person using a short survey tool. The Payton Gin/Heron Hollow Pocket Park Renaming Survey Report (Attachment A) includes responses to the survey questions and all community comments. Results and Recommendations The survey tool had 62 participants with 85% supporting the proposed name change; seven respondents indicated that they did not want the facility name to change. The two community meetings were lightly attended and overwhelmingly supported the name change. Comments and Dissenting Voices The majority of the 40 comments show support for officially renaming the park to Heron Hollow Pocket Park, many pointing out this has been the desire of the community since the early 2000s and that the park is already referred to as Heron Hollow. Attachment B contains five comments that appear to not support the renaming of the park to Heron Hollow. The comments are not tied directly to the preference question, so we are assuming the connection. The comments focus primarily on not needing to change the name or possibly confusion that the park is already Heron Hollow, and this is an attempt to change it again. Concern is also shared about “heron” being connected to “heroin,” and this process being a waste of time and money. We are grateful for those who shared their voices and appreciate their willingness to share their comments in this process. Conclusion Based on the NACA historical efforts around naming this park, the common name used for the park already and recent community feedback, I endorse completing the renaming of Payton Gin Pocket Park to Heron Hollow Pocket Park. Attachments A. Payton Gin/Heron Hollow Pocket Park Renaming Survey Report B. Comments voicing dissent cc: Parks and Recreation Board Members Liana Kallivoka, PhD, PE, LEED Fellow, Assistant Director Lucas Massie, M.Ed., CPRP, Assistant Director Anthony Segura, MPA, MS, Assistant Director Suzanne Piper, DBA, Chief Administrative Officer Attachment A Attachment B Comments that may be considered not supporting the renaming • • • • Another effort by PARD to rewrite history. Placing names on public things is complicated enough when everyone is honest and transparent. Just because PARD forgot to do its job doesn't mean no one else did theirs. It's fine to run a new naming process, but just be clear that's what you're doing. I have lived in this district all my life. There is no reason to change the name. Leave it alone!!! Sounds like heroin This seems like a waste of time and money. How much city staff time has been spent orchestrating this public involvement program? How much would a tear-down of old signage and installing new signs cost? How much time will a GIS analyst have to spend updating map files? I could understand renaming if 1) the old name was offensive and/or 2) there was a desire to rename it to honor someone and/or 3) there was significant confusion (like a park being named XYZ Street Park but not being located near actual XYZ Street). I’m usually fond of citizens leading the way on public land but this seems frivilous. • Name it Fiskville Pocket Park. Heron looks too close to Heroin in print.