Columbia Heights Gets Barack Obama Park, and Then Doesn't

• July 15th 2009

by Mark Wellborn

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Columbia Heights’ residents who thought that the recently renovated park at 14th and Girard Streets (see map here) would be the first facility in DC named in honor of the 44th president will have to settle for an alternate name.

The Washington Post reported recently that Ward 1 City Council member Jim Graham introduced a resolution to rename Girard Park in Columbia Heights “Barack Hussein Obama Park” in honor of the current president.

The renovated park now features a basketball court and play equipment on a plot of land that was formerly little more than a slab of concrete.

However, it turns out that the re-naming in honor of Obama actually goes against DC Code. From the Post:

According to the D.C. Code, “No public space in the District shall be named in honor of any living person, or in honor of any person who has been deceased less than 2 years, unless the deceased person was a President or Vice President of the United States, a United States Senator or Representative, a Mayor of the District of Columbia, or a member of the Council of the District of Columbia.”

Since Obama is still alive, the Council would first have to change the law before it could move forward on Graham’s resolution.

Despite this snag, Graham remains hopeful that Obama will still come and visit the park.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/columbia_heights_gets_barack_obama_park...and_then_doesnt/1134.