Prospect City Council unanimously names Harrods Creek bridge for long-serving parks volunteer Linda Wardell

The Prospect City Council on March 17 adopted a resolution dedicating the Harrods Creek Park stream crossing as the Linda Wardell Bridge, honoring Linda Wardell’s long service to the city’s parks and recreation efforts.

The resolution, read aloud by the mayor and approved by unanimous vote, notes Wardell’s leadership of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee for more than 15 years and credits her with shepherding multiple park projects from concept to completion. The council moved and seconded the resolution and recorded all council members voting in favor.

Public comment ahead of the vote featured multiple speakers who described Wardell’s role in nearly every recent parks improvement. “Linda Wardell is truly the heart and soul of the Prospect Parks and Recreation Committee,” said a resident during the public-comment period. Another speaker recalled that “not a shovel of dirt was turned or a cedar board cut without her direct involvement.”

Council remarks during discussion traced the parks program’s 2009 origins and emphasized Wardell’s contributions to expanding the city’s park system from essentially no parks to the current network that includes Putney Pond and Harrods Creek Park. Council members and committee chairs praised the continuity Wardell provided and said several new volunteers are sharing responsibilities as she steps back.

Resolution No. 3, Series 2025, states that “the Harrods Creek Park Stream Bridge be and hereby is dedicated to Mrs. Linda Wardell and is named the Linda Wardell Bridge.” The motion to adopt the resolution was made and seconded; the roll call recorded all members present voting yes.

The dedication follows public-comment testimony and remarks from multiple advisory boards; no implementation tasks or budget changes were recorded with the resolution.