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Council advances plan to name Riverside Park baseball field for community volunteer Neil Draper
Summary
Council and public lands staff discussed a proposal to name the Northeast Baseball Field at Riverside Park the "Neil Draper Field," reviewed the public-lands renaming process and agreed to develop a semiannual schedule and formal process for future renamings.
At the June 10 Salt Lake City Council work session, council staff introduced a proposal to name the Northeast Baseball Field at Riverside Park the Neil Draper Field in honor of a community member who died in March.
Brian Fulmer of the council office presented the proposal and said Neil Draper was a long-time volunteer and business owner who contributed to Rose Park Baseball. Tyler Murdoch, deputy director of Public Lands, said the 2022 Public Lands Master Plan identifies renaming major assets as a goal and that Public Lands plans to bring renaming requests to the council on a semiannual schedule (September and March). Murdoch said the department is increasing capacity to manage partnerships and donations and that Ashland Larson will focus on partnership development and friends-of-group coordination.
Council members discussed how to balance faster community-driven namings with safeguards to vet honorees. Council Member Dugan urged a careful vetting process and additional coordination with affected stakeholders to reduce the risk of later controversy; Council Member Pui suggested a brief public-notice window for abutting property owners and others to comment and recommended a small plaque or interpretive text so the community knows who the honoree was and why they were recognized. Several council members said they supported moving forward in this case because the Rose Park community had expressed strong support: one member said residents at a neighborhood event reacted emotionally and that Rose Park baseball families plan to attend a July 8 dedication.
Public Lands staff agreed to return with a proposed process for future renamings — including steps the attorney’s office and Public Lands would recommend — at the department’s September review. Council members favored a process that would integrate community outreach without creating excessive extra reporting requirements for staff.
What was decided: the council expressed support for placing the Neil Draper naming on the formal consent agenda and agreed staff should return with a proposed renaming process in September. There was no formal vote at the work session.
