Reverend Demond Wilson, president of the Broome-Tioga NAACP and pastor of Trinity AME Zion Church, asked the City Council Monday to send resolution RL 25-111 to committee and to plan a community-wide conversation about renaming Columbus Park.

Wilson presented research, including a street-by-street statistical breakdown, that showed a large Black population historically lived in what was called the Seventh Ward and on streets that included Sherman Place, the site now occupied by Columbus Park. "Due to our research, we found that there was extensive displacement due to urban renewal, especially in the 1950s and the 1960s," Wilson said.

Nut graf: The NAACP’s request is not a single-name proposal but a call for a community-driven process. Wilson asked the council to convene a committee meeting, then a town hall at the St. Mary's Recreation Center, to allow residents to propose and discuss potential names and historical context.

Wilson said the park’s current name originated from schoolchildren projects some decades ago and does not reflect the fuller local history. He noted historical markers already in the park, such as a plaque honoring Mister Barnett, "the first black city employee in the city of Binghamton," but said that more work is needed to preserve and present the neighborhood’s history.

Councilmembers supported conducting committee meetings and a public town hall. Councilmember Middleton confirmed the city-owned St. Mary's Recreation Center could host a meeting and the NAACP and council will coordinate dates. Councilmember Rathbone and others praised the research and urged an inclusive process involving multiple neighborhood stakeholders.

Ending: Councilmembers agreed to follow up after the meeting to set a committee meeting and schedule a town hall at St. Mary’s Recreation Center; no formal vote on renaming was taken at the work session.