The Parks and Recreation Commission will consider renaming Turlock’s Centennial Park to “Swanson Centennial Park,” following a sizable donation from the Swanson family.
In early August, the commission voted against renaming the park after the Swanson family, who owns the local Pet Extreme, offered to donate $35,000 for the construction of a dog park at the location of the existing Centennial Park.
The original request was denied as the commission felt it was necessary to keep the park named Centennial Park, as it was given the name to commemorate the City’s history during the centennial celebration. Commissioner Bella Daniel said during the Aug. 14 Parks and Recreation commission meeting that the park should not be renamed to “Swanson Park” as the current name reflects the City’s 100 years of history, and was the only park to do this.
“It’s the only park we have that is a centennial park,” said Daniel during the previous meeting.
Following the discussion, the commission denied the request in a 3-2 vote.
Now, just three months later, the Swanson family is returning once more to the Parks and Recreation Commission with the same $35,000 donation for a dog park, with the request to have the park renamed to “Swanson Centennial Park,” keeping the centennial theme to the name to appease the commission’s desire to have the park represent Turlock’s history.
Should the commission vote to accept the $35,000 donation from Pet Extreme and the Swanson family, a dog park would be constructed at the existing location and the park would be renamed to the “Swanson Centennial Park.”
Commission members will also receive an update on the status of the Brandon Koch Memorial Skate Park, which is set to relocate from its current Starr Avenue location to Donnelly Park following the purchase of the City’s property at Starr Avenue by the Turlock Irrigation District.
The Turlock Parks and Recreation Commission meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at City Hall, located at 156 S. Broadway.