Torrance council forwards two Ted Tonaway renaming options to Parks & Rec
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Summary
Councilmember Gerson asked the Parks and Recreation Commission to consider renaming Columbia Park to honor Ted Tonaway and to add an alternate package including adjacent green space and street renamings; council gave concurrence to forward both options for community outreach.
Councilmember Gerson presented two options for honoring World War II veteran Ted Tonaway and asked the council to instruct the Parks and Recreation Commission to include both options in its outreach.
Gerson described option 1 as renaming the space holding the existing Ted Tonaway monument (formerly part of El Prado Park) to 'Ted Tonaway Memorial Park.' He proposed option 2 would enlarge that area to include a triangular green space planted with cherry blossom trees and rename adjacent streets so the monument and park would have a dedicated address and clearer context. Gerson said the package would create a visible reminder along Carson Street and help connect the monument with Torrance High School’s history.
Gerson also raised procedural concerns about the ad hoc renaming committee process, saying it "feels like a Brown Act violation" and asking the city attorney to review whether the process creates the appearance of serial meetings. The mayor and other council members clarified that the instruction being sought was to ask Parks & Rec to evaluate the options and do community outreach; multiple councilmembers indicated concurrence by a show of thumbs up.
The council’s action was limited to forwarding both options to the Parks & Recreation Commission for community outreach and review; no renaming ordinance or final decision was adopted at the meeting. The council encouraged community submissions of other alternatives as the commission undertakes outreach.