Veterans Park will be renamed with the help of Appleton residents. Sept. 22, 2025. PC: Fox 11 Online
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Appleton’s Veterans Park will be getting a new name, and you can help decide what that name should be.
The city looks to open it up for suggestions later this fall.
“It’s important to get the feedback from the community,” said Appleton Parks and Recreation Director Dean Gazza. “The park is the community’s.”
“I think it’s good to really hear from people who live near the park, since they’re the ones who actually impacted by the name,” said Patrick Hayden, District 7 Alderperson and chair of the Parks and Recreation Committee. “I feel like they should have some stake in the names that we come up with. And also, a lot of people have a more deep history of our area, of our country, and could come up with a deeper name than the 15 of us (city council members) ever could.”
It’s the small park right along the Memorial Drive bridge. They’re renaming it because of a different, recent park name change — Memorial Park on the north side of Appleton became Veterans Memorial Park earlier this year.
Parks director Dean Gazza shared his vision for the new name.
“Something of significance within the city,” said Gazza. “Something that’s not generic in nature, but something that has meaning to the neighborhood, to the city.”
The city just has to finalize its naming guidelines over the next month or two. Then, you can submit your favorite name.
It could be a favorite historical figure or event, or a nearby street or neighborhood, a major donor or an outstanding community member or a unique attribute of the park.
An influential group or organization may also qualify once they amend the naming guidelines.
The name may stand for generations — the Veterans Park name has lasted over 50 years.
The committee will write the amended criteria for naming parks before their next meeting in about a month, at which point they’ll vote to approve the public feedback. The city council then would need to formally approve public feedback as well.
After the city gathers suggestions from residents, the Parks and Recreation Committee will narrow it down to a final recommendation for city council. That final vote may happen before the end of the year.
Gazza said the renaming of Memorial Park is the first in his 20 years as park director, giving residents a rare opportunity to take part.
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