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Committee Approves Renaming Peter Carl Limerick Park for 10 Sleepless Nights; Sponsors Seek Year‑Round Cultural Use
Summary
After testimony from community groups, cultural leaders and band members, the committee unanimously approved an amended measure to rename Peter Carl Limerick Park in Christiansted the 10 Sleepless Nights Park and urged funding and programming to make the park a year‑round cultural hub.
The Committee on Government Operations, Veterans Affairs and Consumer Protection voted Sept. 22 to support bill 36‑0121, an act to rename Peter Carl Limerick Park in Christiansted as the 10 Sleepless Nights Park (proposed amendment: use the full band name rather than an abbreviation) and to make appropriations to effectuate the change.
Sponsor Senator Marie C. James said the renaming would honor the Crucian band 10 Sleepless Nights (TSK), which has performed Quilbé and local cultural music for more than five decades and led community cultural programs including school workshops, scholarships and the annual Limerick Park tree‑lighting event. "This renaming is about cultural self‑determination," James said, urging the committee to preserve public space that reflects Virgin Islanders’ history and traditions.
Nut graf: Testimony from the Crucian Cultural Group, 10 Sleepless Nights leadership, former legislators and municipal volunteers stressed the band’s long record of cultural education, international performances and local community service. Several witnesses recommended that renaming be paired with funding for maintenance, signage, year‑round programming and a possible additional roadway naming where historically appropriate.
The Crucian Cultural Group described how annual, volunteer‑run activities revived Limerick Park and brought community attention to an underused space in downtown Christiansted. Commissioner Derek Gabriel and a commissioner‑nominee both testified that the Departments of Public Works and Parks would coordinate sign installation and park maintenance if the measure moves forward; the Housing Finance Authority and others offered practical concerns about longer‑term upkeep.
Vote at a glance: Committee members voted 7–0 to approve the bill as amended (sponsor inserted full band name and instructions for signage and relocation of the existing monument if needed) and forwarded it to Rules and Judiciary. The committee urged sponsors and agencies to identify appropriations for upkeep and to consider a companion roadway naming to commemorate the band’s role in the four‑day Christmas serenade tradition.
Ending: Supporters said the renaming will cement the band’s legacy in a visible public way and recommended a broader implementation plan to ensure the park is used year‑round for cultural events rather than only during December.
