Council renames park facilities at Breezy Hill and Ben Gil in honor of local residents and veterans
Loading...
Summary
Council approved four naming resolutions for Breezy Hill Park and Ben Gil Park, renaming a trail, community center, field complex and soccer fields after local leaders and a fallen service member; one councilmember recused herself from Breezy Hill votes.
The Terrell City Council approved a package of facility renamings at Breezy Hill Park and Ben Gil Park during the May 13 meeting, honoring four local figures and a veteran. Council voted individually on four resolutions and approved each.
Interim City Manager Mark Mills presented the naming committee’s recommendations and described the public notice process: staff sent letters to property owners within 200 feet of the parks, posted notices online and held a committee workshop. The council approved the following resolutions: rename the unnamed walking trail at Breezy Hill Park to Charles F. Phillips Sr. Walking Trail (Resolution 2226); rename the Breezy Hill community center to the Loretta Hickman Gibson Community Center (Resolution 2227); rename the Breezy Hill dugout and field complex to the E.P. Shaw Memorial Complex (Resolution 2228); and rename the unnamed soccer fields at Ben Gil Park to Staff Sergeant Brady Berry Memorial Soccer Complex (Resolution 2229).
Mills provided short biographies for each honoree, noting service records and community contributions. The naming committee exercised a two-thirds waiver of the committee’s three-year posthumous rule for two nominees who died in 2023. Councilmember Stephanie Holmes Thomas recused herself from votes related to Breezy Hill Park facilities because of her active role with the Association of Breezy Hill Park; the record reflects her recusal on those items.
Council members who moved and seconded the motions varied by item; all four renamings passed by council vote. Mills said staff will coordinate signage and potential plaques with the naming committee and public services.
