Organizers pushing for the city to name its skatepark after hit-and-run victim Henry Waye, Jr managed to collect 5,000 signatures calling for park commissioners to take back the request.
But Park Board members said Wednesday there’s nothing they can do until until this time next year.
The city charter specifically requires that officials wait at least a year before naming anything after anyone, Mayor Art Ward said.
The park panel did, however, send the request to a subcommittee to explore options and to work with organizers so that when a year passes, there may be an agreement on what to do to remember the Bristol Central High School freshman who died March 5.
Steve Smith, who led the petition drive, said that Waye touched many lives in his 14 years.
“I want to do something positive with the grief” that so many are feeling at losing the smiling, happy boy to a hit-and-run driver.
Police are still investigating the George Street accident in which a pickup truck driver, Robert Park, hit Waye and kept on going. No charges have been filed.
Smith said that naming the skatepark after Waye would “a fitting tribute” because the boy enjoyed the newest addition at Rockwell Park from the first day that it opened last fall.
Smith said that he had no trouble collecting signatures and found “a great deal of support” for the idea among residents.
He proposed naming the skatepark the “Henry Waye, Jr Skatepark at Rockwell Park” to ensure that the respected Rockwell name wasn’t lost in the change.
If legal issues or other problems preclude naming the skatepark itself after Waye, Smith suggested putting up “a small honorary plaque” at the skatepark honoring the boy and other youngsters who have died in tragic circumstances at too young an age.
Patrick Nelligan, a park commissioner, said that the building and maintenance committee can look into what’s possible in the months ahead.
Nelligan said that by working with Smith, the committee should be able to reach an agreement that everyone is happy with.
Smith said he didn’t mind the year delay required by law.
“I realized this would take time,” he said. “I just think it would be the right thing to do.”
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
no, it's the wrong thing to do.
ReplyDeleteIf there is a law that says we have to wait a year until after a person's death, then the Park Board better wait a year. If they vote today to rename the skate park effective one year from today, that's a farce.
ReplyDelete9:20 pm - do you have a problem with reading or comprehending? The article specifically states that consideration cannot be given until (1) ONE YEAR FROM THE DATE OF REQUEST, which was yesterday.
ReplyDeleteCheck back on April 15, 2010 and maybe you'll be able to understand it.
why haven't the police arrested Robert D. Park of 132 George St.
ReplyDeletewho we all know killed poor henry waye ???
we read stories in the bristol press all the time about people being arrested on the spot for various crimes.......why does Robert D. Park of 132 George St. not get the same treatment ????
why is henry's family not as outraged as the rest of us ???
why hasn't mayor ward been doing everything in his power to see that this scum of the earth is prosecuted to the full extent of the law??
to the bristol police: get out of the donut shop and arrest Robert D. Park of 132 George St. for murdering henry wade !!!
-billy from bristol
billy sweetie,
ReplyDeleteCool your jets. I'm sure the police and detectives are working to make sure they have an airtight case. Let them do their job.
Hey Nelligan, how about de-buggering the Boulevard (aka the toilet for geese) by removing those stupid new stop signs so more people use that road instead of South Street? Or is this concept beyond your IQ?
ReplyDelete6:45 am:
ReplyDelete"Patrick Nelligan, a park commissioner, said that the building and maintenance committee can look into what’s possible in the months ahead.
Nelligan said that by working with Smith, the committee should be able to reach an agreement that everyone is happy with."
This sounds to me like they are greasing the skids to circumvent the law. You're free to interpret it differently, but if you do, I think you're being naive.
9:59 AM - IF YOU WERE POSITIVE ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE SAYING, YOU WOULD HAVE THE B---S TO SIGN YOUR FULL NAME.
ReplyDeletebilly ..... maybe because the irresponsible child was walking in the MIDDLE of the ROAD and was himself at fault for the incident
ReplyDelete1:27 --
ReplyDeleteI drove up that street the next day at about the same time as Waye was struck and killed. Going at the speed limit, I would easily have seen a boy walking in the street there in plenty of time to have stopped or slowed to go around him. It wasn't Henry's fault.
Blaming the victim is an atrocious thing to do.
Steve, there are some very, very disgusting people on this site and 1:27 pm demonstrates that.
ReplyDeleteWard is the Chairman of the Park Board, not Nelligan.
ReplyDeleteWhy are these Audie Murphy wanna-bees like Knuckle-gan and Arty-Party so infatuated with the Goose-coop aka the Blouevard?
ReplyDelete12:20 OOH you poor thing.Are you upset that you have to SLOW DOWN and Stop on the Boulevard?I'm crushed!You will note I sign my name there,"anonymous."
ReplyDeleteTim (aka not-smart guy):
ReplyDeleteDo you not get it? Traffic will process where the stops sings aren't. Even a simpleton like yourself should understand this concept.
More traffic on South Street, Riverside Ave. and through your (supposedly) beloved Federal Hill area has resulted because of impedement of traffic elsewhere.
What you don't seem to realize, Mr. 12:14 pm, is that when you make your point without the insults, it's more persuasive. Readers would focus on your (surprisingly valid) point, rather than the cheap shots.
ReplyDelete12:14 I travel extensively on all the streets you mentioned and have failed to notice any significant increase in vehicular traffic.It is my considered opinion that you simply like to complain.
ReplyDeleteGamache:
ReplyDeleteYour research is surely respected among your peers.
LOL!
12:14 - you are sooo correct - the other day, I wanted to go from Forestville center to Chippens Hill via Rte. 72 but when I got near the Boulevard there was a minor traffic tie-up at the Riverside avenue/72 intersection, due to construction. Rather than use the Boulevard and hassle with those silly stop signs, I tool a left onto Downes Street, only to incur a stop sign, took a right onto South Street - waited for the traffic lights at South/Mellom Street, South/Main Street, Church/Union Street, light at South/West Street, took a right onto West Street and waited for the light at West/School Street, took a left onto Park Street, waited for the light at Park/Divinity Street, the light at Park/Tulip Street and and the light at Clark Avenue/Rte.72 - took a right onto Clark Venue and hit the light at Clark/Rte. 6 before finally waiting for the light at Clark/Hill Street.
ReplyDeleteSee, you are correct, there are ways to avoid those pesky stop signs on Memorial Boulevard.