Norwalk council names South Norwalk community room for longtime activist Ernie Dumas

The Norwalk Common Council voted unanimously April 14 to name the community room at the new South Norwalk Community Center in honor of the late community activist Ernie Dumas.

The decision followed several hours of public comment and council discussion celebrating Dumas’s decades of neighborhood advocacy. In public remarks, Andy Garfuncle said Dumas “dedicated himself more to the community than he did to himself” and urged the council to approve the naming as a lasting tribute. Family members and longtime colleagues — including Ernie Dumas’s wife, Martha Dumis — told the council that Dumas had helped found neighborhood groups, organized food and toy drives, and worked with residents to improve safety and services.

Council members described Dumas as a fixture of South Norwalk who connected residents, nonprofits and local government. Council Member Bailey, who introduced the item, said Dumas’s efforts ranged from neighborhood safety initiatives to annual holiday drives and that naming the room “is a fitting and lasting tribute.” Several council members noted that the room’s use for community programs made it an especially apt place to carry Dumas’s name.

The resolution passed without dissent. Council members said the dedication is intended both as recognition of past service and an aspiration for future community engagement at the center once it opens. The council did not discuss any specific plaque language or unveiling date; those implementation details will be handled by city staff and the Parks/Recreation team.

The naming follows public comments submitted by State Representative Travis Sims in support of the dedication and multiple speakers at the meeting who described Dumas’s work with neighborhood organizations and youth programs. The council’s action was recorded as unanimous.