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Residents Urge Council to Keep "Oscar Johnson Jr." as Staff Recommends 'Enrichment and Recreation' Name
Summary
Deputy Director McCheska recommended the new 86,000–87,000 facility be named "Oscar Johnson Jr. Enrichment and Recreation Center," and families and longtime residents urged the City Council to retain and prominently honor Oscar Johnson Jr.'s name.
Deputy Director McCheska told the council the city plans to open the new Oscar Johnson facility Sept. 9 and staff, the Parks Board and the facility board are recommending the name "Oscar Johnson Jr. Enrichment and Recreation Center" to reflect expanded programming and an 86,000–87,000 square‑foot complex. McCheska said staff wanted a name that emphasizes community programming, wellness and recreation across the large site.
During the citizen comment period, multiple speakers—several identifying themselves as family members and long‑time East Side residents—urged the council not to remove or diminish Oscar Johnson Jr.'s name. Carl White said removing the name would "risk erasing a valid part of Cotton Road history," and asked why the name would…
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