A proposal to rename a city park in Tucson after a local Tohono O'odham figure is moving forward.
Earlier this year, officials asked members of the public to weigh on a proposal to rename the city’s Christopher Columbus Park — it's a a local favorite for bird watching and fishing that was named Silverbell Park, until the 1990s.
Azul Navarrete-Valera says she and other members of the Tucson Native Youth Council began working with the Tucson City Councilperson Lane Santa Cruz in 2020 to rename the park after celebrated Tohono O’odham elder and cultural educator, Danny Lopez.
Navarrete-Valera says they’ve received hundreds of letters of support for the change.
"People would give us the letter of support and then message us directly, saying that they have these stories of Danny Lopez, that they used to listen to him on the radio. It was really inspiring," she said.
The call to the public period ended last Monday. Navarrete-Valera says officials are reviewing the letters and expected to discuss next steps in February.
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