Ogden council names Marshall White Community Center field house for Officer Nathan James Lyday after public input

Ogden City Council voted April 1 to name the field house at the Marshall White Community Center after Officer Nathan James Lyday, following public testimony from Lyday family members and discussion about community outreach.

Council Member Meyers moved to name the Marshall White Community Center field house after Nathan James Lyday; Vice Chair Hyer seconded and the item passed by unanimous roll call. Chair White called for the vote and each council member answered aye.

The proposal was introduced by Ron White (speaking on behalf of the White family), who told the council that naming the field house after Officer Lyday would honor “a unique group of people that sacrifice their life in the line of duty.” Family members spoke in favor: Andrew Leidy, identified himself as Nathan Lyday’s father, and Bruin (a family member) performed the Pledge of Allegiance earlier in the meeting; Jenny Taylor, speaking from Washington, D.C., also offered support, calling the pairing of Marshall White’s legacy and Lyday’s memory “a beautiful proposal.”

During public comment, He Sato (logged‑in resident) said he was “not against it” but asked for broader community discussion, saying he believed the advisory committee and other stakeholders should be consulted. Several council members agreed that additional advisory‑committee involvement would be appropriate. Council Member Chburka and others praised the White family’s outreach and the proposal’s intent, and Council Member Myers said he supported the naming while also supporting more outreach.

Council members debated whether to delay action until the Marshall White Advisory Committee met. Vice Chair Hyer initially moved to extend the item until the advisory committee met, then withdrew that motion; later Council Member Meyers made the naming motion that passed. Mayor and staff said they would convene the advisory committee earlier than its regular schedule to seek stakeholder input and to help plan a meaningful dedication event.

Why it matters: the Marshall White Community Center is a long‑standing neighborhood facility; naming internal spaces after local figures is symbolic and can shape programming and outreach. Council members emphasized that the center will remain named for Marshall White while the field house dedication will honor Lyday within that context.

What’s next: Parks and Recreation staff will work with the family and the Marshall White Advisory Committee on plaque wording, signage and a public dedication event; the council asked staff to report back with advisory‑committee input before a formal celebration.

Quotes: “He belonged to a unique group of people that sacrifice their life in the line of duty, and we should put those heroes up on a pedestal,” Ron White said. Jenny Taylor, speaking from Washington, D.C., said the proposal “is a beautiful proposal for this new facility to remain named after Marshall White…while also looking to a young new generation.”

Clarifying details: the field house is an indoor turf/practice area used for baseball, softball, soccer and futsal; the center will retain the Marshall White name while dedicating the field house to Officer Lyday; the Marshall White Advisory Committee meets quarterly and staff committed to convene it sooner to collect input and assist with the dedication event.

No formal ordinance or permanent change to the center’s overall name was proposed; the vote applied specifically to the field house inside the Marshall White Community Center.