A petition has been started by Commercial Wharf resident, Michael Cohen, to rename Christopher Columbus Park after the late Mayor Tom Menino. As of this writing, the petition has over 1,000 signatures with a goal of 10,000. The petition starts:
The residents of City Of Boston and so many others mourn the passing of Tom Menino who did so much for the city and will surely be remembered as one of our very best mayors. Much will be said and written about how he should be honored and we, the signers of this petition, believe that that Christopher Columbus Park on the waterfront adjacent to the North End should be renamed Tom Menino Park in his honor. Continue reading at TomMeninoPark.org.
The petition questions whether Christopher Columbus continues to deserve “the recognition of such a beautiful spot in our city” given “recent revelations.”
Cohen contends that all Boston neighborhoods will soon be vying to name a tribute for Mayor Menino and now is the time to establish Tom Menino Park on the North End’s waterfront. The proposal comes after the 2013 opening of Mayor Thomas M. Menino Park in Charlestown next to the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.
This question is not on the ballot this week, but please vote in our poll below. In addition to the Columbus and Menino options, we also offer a third choice to rename the park to something completely different. The City of Boston sometimes calls it “Waterfront Park” in addition Christopher Columbus Park.
After voting, free to explain your view in the comments section below.
The city of Boston will always belong to Mayor Menino…
I agree it should be called the Menino Park plus he been at the park many times and also there should be a statue of Menino in the park or somewhere in Boston anywhere in Boston.
There is already a Tom Menino Park in Charlestown next to Spalding Hospital. https://roadtrippers.com/us/charlestown-ma/attractions/thomas-m-menino-park
Please as a lifelong North End resident who has gotten to meet mayor Menino he would not want us to rename the Columbus Park……why can’t we build another Park or Rename something else? Since the North Bennett Street Industrial School has moved to North Street, maybe renaming the school in Menino’ s honor would be better…..let’s think about this!!!!!
Love mr MENINO , but I would give this park to KEVIN WHITE , it was his vision that got this beautiful city started!
It’s a bit soon to make this kind of a decision, #1.
#2 – rumor has it the Convention Center will have a statue of Mayor Menino in front of it and be re-named after him.
#3. CC Park has a rich and memorable history here in the neighborhood and it should remain as is.
Mayor Menino will never be forgotten by the FOCCP members, since he is the one who, when the Park was developed, urged the formation of a ‘Friends’ organization. He didn’t have a problem with the name!
A great reason to get rid of Christopher Columbus forever. Guy mass murdered people.
In all due respect to the former Mayor, let us leave Christopher Columbus Park alone. It is actually Mayor Kevin White and a group of dedicated neighbors who deserve recognition for the creation of what was once “ghost town” of abandoned wharves and factories into Christopher Columbus Park and the North End Waterfront.
A more fitting tribute to Mayor Menino would be to name the new Elliot Innovation School building on Commercial Street in his honor. It was his drive and commitment that made that possible.
Not offending Mayor Menino’s memory, but what’s done is done~~~how do you erase one’s tribute for another? I think that would be a very bad and improper deed!
Federal funding poured into Boston in preparation for our spectacular 1976 bicentennial celebration thus laying the groundwork to revitalize all of the City of Boston’s waterfront neighborhoods.
Stay the same,change the summer camp name he opened
yes indeed, well deserved, and please take the Columbus statue down as well, it is always being defaced anyways.
yes indeed, well deserved, and please take the Columbus statue down as well, it is always being defaced anyways.
There are undoubtedly many a park, many a street, many a highway to rename. Why the pick on Columbus! it just does not make sense. and most of all, the man just passed on…give it time to reflect and plan as to what is best to remember Menino. One wonders if there are other parks in Boston named after other ethnic group people, and how would those nationalities feel.if such were changed Menino was an Italian American and one is sure he observed the Discovery by Columbus. Leave the park as its and find a new and wonderful site for Mayor Menino.
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH JANET GILARDI & JASON ALLUIA.
Come on, let’s stop this assault on Columbus! One can’t judge 15thc. behavior with 21st century values. He was a man of his times. I’m sure our Boston citizens can find another institution or monument for this beloved Italian American!
What are the “recent revelations” it’s interesting how the P.C. crowd is willing to judge certain personages with present day criteria, I.e. diseases the causes of which weren’t discovered until 400 yrs. Later ; but not judging someone like Andrew Jackson, who banished tens of thousands of Indians with known infected blankets, to their certain death.
Worst mayor EVER. City is filthy dirty, not enough garbage cans, no low or medium income housing built, ALL luxury housing, no supermarket for North End or Beacon Hill as he promised, parking situation getting worse, city schools still bad, need I go on Bostonians? Wake up, he did nothing for us but pad his pockets with bribes!