I. Purpose
To establish a naming policy for public parks and facilities by selecting the right name that would add additional credibility to the public park/facility and the department.
II. Authorization
The Board of Parks and Recreation shall have the authority for the naming of all public parks and facilities by passing or rejecting a resolution at the board meeting.
III. Objectives
- Provide name identification
- Provide citizen/neighborhood input into the process
- Insure control for naming policy
IV. Qualifying Name
- Geographic location to facility
- Outstanding feature
- Adjoining subdivision
- Historical event, group, or individual
- Contribution to acquisition/development
- Exceptional service in the park's interest
V. Naming Parks and Recreation Facilities
The purpose of this policy is to establish a uniform procedure for the naming of parks and recreation facilities throughout the City of Indianapolis – Marion County (City).
The following guidelines will be used when naming a park or recreation facility:
1. A permanent name shall be assigned as soon as possible.
2. Duplication of other places or facility names in the City shall not be considered.
3. Recommendations for a name should come from neighborhood organizations in the same locality as the park or facility. Other recommendations from concerned citizens and special interest groups may be considered. If no citizen recommendations are made or consensus obtained, then Indy Parks and Recreation staff will initiate naming recommendations.
4. Prominent geographic features or local reference points (i.e., hill, stream, lake, notable tree, street, community or neighborhood) shall be considered for a potential name.
5. Consideration to naming a park or facility in honor of a person shall only be given if one of the following criteria has been met:
a. For an individual (excluding nationally significant individuals) to be considered, that person must have contributed significantly to the acquisition or development of the park or facility or to the parks system overall. The suggested name must be accompanied by a biographical sketch which shall provide evidence of contributions to the park, facility, or parks system overall.
b. Major contribution must have been made to the City, Department of Parks and Recreation, or Indianapolis Parks Foundation.
c. Substantial donation to the City for park and recreational purposes wherein the donor stipulates a name as being consideration of the donation.
d. Outstanding community leader who has made significant civic contributions to the City and has given highly productive support to the Department of Parks and Recreation.
6. After the Board of Parks and Recreation decides upon a name, public notice of the recommended name will occur twice during a thirty (30) day period in the City's official newspaper. Citizen comments and recommendations must be in writing to the Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation and must be postmarked within the thirty (30) day public-notice period.
7. After the thirty (30) day public notice period, the Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, with the approval of the Board of Parks and Recreation, will pass a resolution adopting or rejecting the name.
8. An existing name of a park and/or facility, particularly one of local or national importance or outstanding feature, shall not be changed unless there are extraordinary circumstances of local or national interest.
VI. Renaming
a. 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.
b. Only those parks and facilities named for location or subdivision shall be considered for renaming. Parks named by deed restriction shall not be considered for renaming.
c. Parks and facilities named after individuals shall never be changed unless it is found that the individual's personal character is or was such that the continued use of the name for a park or facility would not be in the best interest of the community.
d. In order for a park or facility to be considered for renaming the following must occur:
- the recommended name must qualify according to Section V of this policy, and
- be accompanied by a petition from the particular park or facility users.
VII. Other Naming Alternatives
a. Parks and facilities that are donated to the City can be named by deed restriction by the donor. The naming and acceptance of land is subject to the guidelines set forth in Section V and approval by the Board of Parks and Recreation.
b. A facility within a park, i.e., playground, picnic shelter, etc., can be named separately from the park or facility location subject to Section V of this policy.
