On Sept. 15 the public is invited to provide input about naming an established athletic park after a pioneer in the community.
A group of people approached the City asking if the Youth Athletic Park could be renamed the Marty Russo Youth Athletic Park in honor of a man who contributed much to youth in town. Also known as YAP, the 31-acre park at 22056 Olympiad Road has baseball and soccer. The park currently houses the North and South Mission Viejo Little Leagues and AYSO Soccer.
In 1965, Russo began his more than 30-year career with the Mission Viejo Company. His professional stint began before the first resident moved into the Mission Viejo community. An advocate of youth sports and community activities, Russo was responsible for the company’s participation in youth sports programs, the Youth Athletic Coordinating Council and community events through the Mission Viejo Activities Committee. He served as chairman of the Mission Viejo Architectural Committee and was active in community relations. Russo died in February.
The Sept. 15 public workshop starts at 7 p.m. in Council Chamber at City Hall, 200 Civic Center.
People who cannot attend the meeting are welcome to submit written comments to the City of Mission Viejo Recreation and Community Services Department at 200 Civic Center, Mission Viejo, 92691. Comments can also be e-mailed to recreation@cityofmissionviejo.org or faxed to 949-581-0795.
I never met Marty Russo, nor did I even know who he was until I read the proposal to rename the YAP to honor him.
Given that we already have buildings and streets being named after other luminaries (such as the Norman P. Murray Center), this would seem like a precedent-following cause.
What will we do to honor deserved people when we run out of buildings or streets?
Would a person after whom a building or a park is named not be remembered more than someone after whom a simple cul-de-sac street is named?
Why not spend the money to create a wall-of-fame, and inscribe the name of each person worthy of being remembered?
It’ll be cheaper, and more easily expandable.