Title
REQUEST TO INITIATE 45-DAY NOTICE PERIOD
TO NAME THE PLAYGROUND, A FEATURE, IN SHERIDAN PARK IN HONOR OF JOSEPH M. “JOE” ESPOSITO
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 the playground in Sheridan Park in honor of Joseph M. “Joe” Esposito.
Proposed Feature: Playground
Location: Sheridan Park
Community Area: 28- Near West Side
Ward: 25
Proposed Name: Joseph M. “Joe” Esposito Playground
II. Explanation
The Chicago Park District naming and renaming procedures allow for the naming of features in parks, including playgrounds and buildings. The Sheridan Park Advisory Council has requested that the Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners name the Playground in Sheridan Park in honor of Joe Esposito. This proposal has support of the 25th Ward Alderman Daniel Solis.
Joseph M. “Joe” Esposito (1945 - 2011) was a lifelong resident of Little Italy who was deeply devoted to the community and to Sheridan Park. After graduating from Lane Technical High School, Joe served in the Armed Services during the Vietnam War. He then served 30 years with the Chicago Police Department. Joe was founder and head of the Near West Neighbors Committee, which worked on behalf of the Near West Side residents. He was involved in the programming and development of Sheridan Park for years. He played a significant role in the updating the locker rooms in the field house. In the 2000s he advocated for a new playground and an artificial turf field. Both of these became a reality, prior to his death.
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.