Council moves to advance Quakertown Civic Center and Popo Gonzales day-labor site names, denies Juneteenth tournament rename

City parks staff presented three naming applications and the public engagement results before the council during the Jan. 13 work session.

Allison Lisonbee Wing, interim director of parks and recreation, told the council the Parks, Recreation and Beautification Board had unanimously recommended approving renaming the Denton Civic Center to the Quakertown Civic Center and approving the Popo Gonzales day-labor site. The board had recommended denying the request to rename the Juneteenth softball tournament because the city's naming policy covers permanent facilities, not events. "Staff recommends approving the naming applications for both the Civic Center and the Day Labor site and denying the naming application for the softball tournament," Wing said.

Council members discussed historical context for the Quakertown name, whether other adjacent facilities should be renamed consistently, and asked about costs. Wing said marquee renovation for the Civic Center was already budgeted, so renaming the marquee would not add costs beyond planned work; the day-labor site would need a simple directional sign. Several council members voiced support for carrying staff'recommended resolutions forward; staff said those resolutions will appear on a future council agenda with language drafted from tonight's direction.

The council also asked for clarity on whether the parks board should remain the ad-hoc naming committee; staff recommended continuing that practice and returning to council with proposed resolution text. Staff recorded the public engagement tallies presented to council: Civic Center support 34 in favor, 13 opposed; day labor site 34 in favor, 11 opposed; Juneteenth tournament 19 in favor, 19 opposed.