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Parks commission recommends three names for Harbor Hill playground; council requests naming resolution for council consideration
Summary
Parks commission forwarded three recommended names for the Phase 1B playground at the Gig Harbor Sports Complex—Canoe Park (with native name), Swiftwater Park, and Gertie Park—and council asked staff to bring a naming resolution to the next council meeting and to develop naming criteria for park components.
Parks staff and the Parks Commission presented 24 public name submissions for the Phase 1B playground at the Gig Harbor Sports Complex. Jennifer Harrell, parks manager, summarized the commission’s review and said the commission settled on three recommendations for council consideration: a name that references the onsite canoes and local Native heritage (presented as “Canoe Park at Gig Harbor Sports Complex,” with a native-language form for display), “Swiftwater Park” (a nod to local water heritage and nearby Swiftwater Elementary), and “Gertie Park” (a child-friendly name referencing local history and the nearby Galloping Gertie story).
Harrell told council the commission discussed pronunciation and searchability for names with native wording, and generally avoided naming the park for a single private individual without a larger vetting process. She also noted the YMCA facility on site will use a name consistent with its lease and that Phase 2 fields are currently referred to as “Peninsula Light Fields.”
Councilmembers discussed the recommendations and the broader naming process. Councilmember Storzzet and others said they favored names that children would use; Councilmember Rosenberg and others urged creating a clear policy for naming components (fields, stage, courts) and preserving opportunities to honor local donors or longtime volunteers such as Hugh McMillan and Terry Lee in specific elements. Several councilmembers suggested developing a list of subfeatures that could carry commemorative names.
Council requested staff bring a formal naming resolution to the next available council meeting for action on the overall park name and asked parks staff to prepare guidance on what portions of the complex could be named for individuals in future actions.
Why this matters: Park names shape public wayfinding and local identity; the council’s decision will be used in signage, maps and outreach for the sports complex as phases open.
What’s next: Staff will place a naming resolution on the next council agenda and provide the Parks Commission’s recommended names and suggested criteria for naming sub-elements of the complex.
