Family Plea Adds Emotional Note to Park Naming Deliberation
A late in the evening 6–1 vote advanced legislation to honor former mayor, though debate continues over location and precedent
Hilliard City Council on April 14 is expected to consider a resolution renaming Hilliard East Park as Timothy A. Ward Memorial Park.
The proposal to rename the park after the former mayor who died in October at the age of 66 was not unanimous and was debated in the presence of Ward’s widow, Christine, and their daughter, Ellie.
“This is more important to me than you’ll ever know,” Ellie Ward told council members, adding that she will “fight for her dad’s legacy.”
To that end, Ellie Ward said March 26 that she would suggest to City Council on April 14 that that a new park be built within the Hill Farm II development- the rezoning for which Hilliard City Council approved on March 24.
After witnessing the dissent about which park could be renamed, or what other place could be named, Ellie Ward said she “went back to the drawing board” and came up with the idea of building a park from scratch in memory of her father.
The park would be part of the future subdivision of 300 residences near Scioto Darby and Langton roads.
But the ordinance renaming Hilliard East Park is still on track to arrive at Hilliard City Council on April 14.
Christine and Ellie Ward each addressed Hilliard City Council on March 24, challenging City Council to recognize the contributions of Ward in the same manner as other city officials have been recognized.
Ellie Ward pointed to the naming of Hilliard Municipal Park for former mayor Roger Reynolds, Ward’s predecessor, as well as a pool for former service director Clyde “Butch” Seidle, who died in 2019 at the age of 68, and a public street for David Meeks, the city’s former economic director who died in 2017 at the age of 53.
The 91-year-old Reynolds still resides in Hilliard.
Prior to the March 24 meeting, Ellie Ward and Hilliard City Council President Tina Cottone privately communicated and the administration, passing over Ellie Ward’s request to rename the East Pool, offered to name a green preserve adjacent to the Hilliard branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, as “Ward Park.”
Christine Ward, speaking after her daughter, told council members the offer wasn’t a park but only a pathway through some trees that the city was offering.
“It’s hidden like everything else (about Tim Ward),” Christine Ward said about her late husband’s tenure as mayor.
Christine Ward, and Ellie Ward at City Council meetings earlier this year, also voiced frustration that Mayor Don Schonhardt, who succeeded Ward, and his administration receive credit for what Ward began, including efforts that resulted in Advanced Drainage Systems locating in Hilliard.
Schonhardt, who resides in Georgia, is the last mayor of Hilliard as voters in 2018 amended the city charter to create an appointed city manager in lieu of an elected mayor, a position City Manager Michelle Crandall was chosen to fill in January 2020.
Crandall told council members, after the Ward family inquired about a park in memory of Ward, that she and Recreation and Parks Director Ed Merritt discussed options.
Crandall said the city did not want to rename parks with established names or any with a geographic name and settled on the unnamed wooded preserve adjacent to Hilliard’s library, where a plaque would be installed describing Ward’s service to the city.
“It’s a beautiful area with a lot of foot traffic,” that would likely grow in use and notability if it were named Ward Park, Crandall said.
Crandall said the administration favored renaming the preserve adjacent to the library rather than the East Park but acknowledged it is in the purview of City Council to make that determination.
“What’s wrong with naming the park the way (Ellie) wants,” said Councilman Les Carrier, who made a motion to rename East Park as the Timothy A. Ward Memorial Park.
The East Pool is adjacent the Butch “Clyde” Seidle Community Pool, 4450 Schirtzinger Road.
In reaction to Carrier’s desire to advance naming the park, Councilman Greg Betts moved to add it to the agenda for consideration that very night.
The measure passed 4-3 with Cottone, Councilwoman Peggy Hale and Councilman Andy Teater voting against the measure.
Betts, Carrier, Councilwoman Cynthia Vermillion and Councilwoman Emily Cole voted in favor of the motion.
Nearly three hours later- after City Council had considered the entirety of the scheduled legislation on the agenda- council members returned to the discussion of naming the park.
“We’re moving away from naming (for people),” said Cottone, adding that the idea of naming a park for Ward stalled when the family did not respond to the city’s offers.
As consensus gathered for naming a park, Thad Boggs, the city’s law director, said any decision to rename a park should be made using legislation.
Vermillion made a motion to name Hilliard East Park as Timothy A. Ward Memorial Park and asked that legislation be prepared for the April 14 meeting.
The measure passed 6-1 with only Cottone dissenting.
Les Carrier loves being the center of attention. I wonder how his buddy Omar is doing?