Title
REQUEST TO INITIATE 45-DAY NOTICE PERIOD
TO NAME WALNUT PARK
IN HONOR OF IRMA C. RUIZ
Body
To the Honorable Board of Commissioners of the Chicago Park District
I. Recommendation
It is recommended that an order be entered authorizing the General Superintendent or his designee to initiate a 45-day notice period to solicit public input to name Walnut Park in honor of Irma C. Ruiz.
Proposed Park or feature: Walnut Park
Location: 3801 West 45th Street
Community Area: Archer Heights
Ward: 14
Proposed Name: Irma C. Ruiz Park
II. Explanation
The Chicago Park District naming and renaming procedures allow for the naming of features in parks, including playgrounds and buildings. This proposal has support of Alderman Edward Burke.
Officer Irma C. Ruiz graduated from the Chicago Police Academy on October 1, 1976, and was among the first female officers assigned to the Grand Crossing District. On September 22, 1988, Officer Ruiz and her partner were assigned to the Harrison Area’s Youth Division, and were responding to a call at the Moses Montefiore School for assistance with an unruly student. While Officers Ruiz and Jaglowski were in the school, a heavily-armed gunman burst into the school after fatally shooting two persons across the street and the school custodian outside the school. Upon seeing the officers, the gunman opened fire, fatally striking Officer Ruiz in the chest. Although seriously wounded, Officer Jaglowski returned fire, killing the offender. The presence of Officer Ruiz at the school at that moment likely prevented many more deaths, including schoolchildren, that day.
During her twelve-year careen on the force, Officer Ruiz had received a department commendation, three honorable mentions, and had four complimentary letters in her personnel file. In addition to being a well-regarded and respected member of the Police Department, Officer Ruiz is remembered as being a loving wife and a devoted mother of four, and a caring member of her Beverly community. She was the third female officer to be killed in the line of duty.
III. Park Naming Procedures
Chapter VII, Section E of the Code of the Chicago Park District, (the Naming Ordinance), which governs the naming and renaming of parks and park features, states that if a proposed name honors a person, the (i) person shall have been deceased for a least one (1) year prior to consideration; and (ii) the person shall have demonstrated a continued commitment and made an extraordinary contribution to civic betterment, locally, nationally or internationally.
Pursuant to the Naming Ordinance, this request to rename and name parks have been forwarded to the Secretary of the Chicago Park District, who shall (i ) file a copy of this request with the Board of Commissioners (or appropriate Committee); and (ii) initiate a notice period of at least 45 days to provide notice and solicit public input. Such notice shall be posted at the respective subject park field house (or for any park without a field house, at the nearest field house) and it shall be sent to advisory councils located within a one (1) mile radius of the subject park. At the conclusion of the notice period, the General Superintendent or his designee may in his discretion recommend to the Board that it approve the requested renames and names.