Modesto residents to help choose new name for Cesar E. Chavez Park
Modesto soon will be taking suggestions to renaming Cesar E. Chavez Park.
A years-long New York Times investigation found that Chavez was accused of sexually abusing children and raping his United Farm Workers co-founder and civil rights icon Dolores Huerta while both were engaged in unionization efforts.
During a special Culture Commission meeting Monday, city staff explained that during a 30-day period, Modesto residents will submit names for consideration. Afterward, the Culture Commission will review the names and select no more than three, along with a report explaining the reasoning, to be considered by the City Council.
A form will be made online, both in English and Spanish, to print, complete and send to the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Department. The form also can be dropped off in person at the counter on the fourth floor at 1010 10th St., the city-county government building. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.
An update on when residents can start submitting ideas will likely be announced at the next Culture Commission meeting, April 1 at 3:45 p.m. at the McHenry Museum.
About 27 residents showed up to Monday’s meeting, which lasted only half an hour. A majority wanted to revert the park’s name back to 4th Street Community Park.
Jerry Thompson said it’s best to avoid naming parks after officials to avoid controversies such as Chavez’s. “Sometimes, we don’t know all that history until it comes out years later,” he said.
Juan Telles said he always took issue with Chavez due to his views on immigrants. He suggested naming the park after community leader and Recreation Supervisor Bruce Lockard.
“He’s been a mentor to me, and he has really opened opportunities for youth all across the region, and not just Modesto,” Telles said. “I think if we have a chance to name it after someone … who’s invested here 40, 50, years in youth in our community, I think this is a powerful opportunity to do so.”
One resident suggested giving the park a neutral name, such as Faith Park. Another wished for the name to still reference the Latino community that makes up the park’s surrounding neighborhood.
Chair Jennifer Valenzuela was absent from the discussion but suggested, in a statement read aloud, that the park’s name return to Fourth Street Park or West Side Park.
“These types of names are grounded in geography and community identity and are less likely to shift over time,” Valenzuela wrote in her statement.
Modesto park sign remains visible
In downtown Sacramento, a Cesar Chavez statue and sign have been covered by the city. A majority of the Sacramento City Council also declared support for renaming Cesar E. Chavez Plaza.
At Fresno State University, a Chavez statue was covered by a black tarp, hidden by a plywood box, then removed.
As of monday afternoon, the sign at Cesar Chavez Park in Modesto remained uncovered and unblemished, behind a fence for construction. The park is undergoing a $17.1 million renovation that is planned to wrap up this summer.
The city is racing to get the name changed before the park reopens. Staff members said once they get the new name, they’ll remove the sign.
In 2002, the park was renamed from 4th Street Park to Cesar E. Chavez park based on the 1975 march led by Chavez and the United Farm Workers that ended in front of E.&J. Gallo Winery. UFW organized Gallo workers and boycotted the winery in protest of worker conditions in its vineyards.
Commissioner Shannon Stevens said it took a long time to have a Latino leader recognized in such a way in Modesto, so she’s looking forward to hearing suggestions from the community.
“I love the idea of finding some way to recognize the farm labor union and the incredible work they did to uplift our community while avoiding this kind of emergency culture commission meeting in the future,” said Stevens.
