Seawall park may be renamed for snack food [Galveston, TX]

The Galveston Daily News ^ | August 6, 2009 | T. J. Aulds

[smokingfrog]

The park dedicated to the Army garrison built in the early 1900s to protect Galveston from invaders soon may be renamed in honor of a snack chip.

County commissioners Wednesday set in motion a process to change the name of Fort Crockett Park to SunChips Seawall Park at Fort Crockett. The request came from Frito-Lay, the snack company that makes SunChips, a multigrain snack chip.

Last month, Frito-Lay announced it would donate $1 million to enhance the park at 47th Street and Seawall Boulevard. The donation is to pay for a solar-powered restroom, visitors’ kiosk, concession stand and historical displays.

It also is part of a national campaign by the company to solicit donations from its customers to aid in Galveston’s Hurricane Ike recovery efforts. Later this month the company will make a donation for every two bags of SunChips purchased at 2,400 Kroger stores across the country.

Before the snack maker can brand the park after one of its products, though, a 30-day public comment period is required, County Judge Jim Yarbrough said. The seawall is a county park.

Barring a major outcry from the public, the park would get its new name just in time for the anniversary of Hurricane Ike, which came ashore Sept. 13.

Betty Massey, the chairwoman of the island’s recovery committee, encouraged county commissioners to support the name change.

“It’s an appropriate recognition of this corporate gift,” Massey said. She said the park enhancements were a part of Galveston’s 42-point recovery plan that includes transforming the seawall into “a real urban park with landscaping.”

[smokingfrog]

It just don't seem right to me.

[ffusco]

A rose by any other name...

[Molly Pitcher]

Hmmmm...my parents lived in an apartment near Ft. Crockett right after the war. My mother says there were still German POWs there at the time...Being history-minded, I don’t much like the proposed name change.

[Clara Lou]

I already avoid Galveston. “SunChips” Seawall will only reinforce the behavior. I’m NOT going there.

[Don W]

Just name the BUILDING the “sunchips” whatever. The park has historical significance, which is why it’s a park in the first place!

Or is it all part of the continuing rewriting of our history by the left?

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

Or is it all part of the continuing rewriting of our history by the left?

OR....could it be that they need the $$?

me thinks so

[Don W]

The donation is to pay for a solar-powered restroom, visitors’ kiosk, concession stand and historical displays.

I still say the name of the NEW BUILDING(s) can be sunchip or frito-lay, but the park name should remain unchanged, since the park will still be administered and maintained by the public.