Committee recommends 'First Light Commons' as the name for new waterfront park

The City of Portland’s Transportation & Sustainability Committee voted to recommend "First Light Commons" as the name for the new waterfront park, forwarding that recommendation to the full City Council.

Masih Brown, director of justice, diversity, equity and inclusion, outlined the naming committee’s process, saying it received about 325 submissions and narrowed them to three finalists: First Light Commons; Portland Harbor Common; and Freedom Commons. "First light ... comes from the general meaning of Wabanaki, people of the dawn," Brown said, and staff reported the committee conducted outreach with Wabanaki leaders and leaders working on Black‑history initiatives to evaluate the names.

The naming committee described the choice as intended to capture multiple perspectives and shared history in the neighborhood. Nick Zaccaro, a lifelong Portland resident who said he lives near the site, urged "Portland Harbor Common" as a functional option, saying he worried "First Light" could apply to other places in Maine. Another committee member said the finalists reflected public input and the informed guidance the committee received.

Committee member S11 moved that the committee recommend First Light Commons to council; Pius Ali seconded the motion and recorded votes in favor. The committee’s recommendation will be transmitted to City Council for its final decision.

The committee’s packet includes a list of community participants consulted during the naming process and documentation of the three finalist names. The council will receive the committee’s recommendation at a future meeting for final action.