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Residents urge fairness in Sears Rec renaming; supporters cite local leaders, others caution against naming living people
Summary
During the public hearing on renaming the Sears Recreation Center, residents urged the board to be fair and deliberate. Some urged honoring longtime volunteer Billy Enriquez, while others cautioned against naming facilities after living people and asked for more outreach and equity in the process.
At the Parks Board public hearing, Samuel Garcia (speaking for the Hispanic Leadership Council) urged the board to ensure an equitable process and recommended receiving all nominations together by June 30 so no candidate has an unfair head start. "This is a Latino community in that area… If you have any questions for me, I would love not to just get up here for 3 minutes and not have time to say what I need to say," Garcia said, pressing the board to solicit broad community input and to avoid rushing.
Anthony Williams, a long-time volunteer and North Side resident, urged the board to consider naming the center for Billy Enriquez, saying Enriquez's contributions over decades make him a clear candidate. "If you did you poll that neighborhood, it'll be overwhelmingly supporting recognizing Billy," Williams said. Another speaker in the hearing argued that naming facilities after living people can lead to future controversy and recommended focusing instead on those who are deceased or on geographic or historical names. The board heard both perspectives and ultimately set a June 30 submissions deadline to allow more time for petitions and community vetting.
