Jack BensonThe name of East Brainerd's Heritage Park grew a little longer last week when Chattanooga City Council members voted to rename it in honor of former three-term District 4 councilman the late Jack Benson.
In early December, former Chattanooga mayor Ron Littlefield and a host of Benson's family and friends asked the council to rename it Jack Benson Heritage Park in time for the second anniversary of Benson's death on Jan. 15. Thirteen former council members, including Littlefield, signed a petition supporting the park's renaming.
Benson, in conjunction with the Friends of East Brainerd, championed the opening of the 22-acre park, located at 1428 Jenkins Road, in 2003. He supported key park amenities, including renovation of the on-site antebellum-style Heritage House, construction of a gazebo and the creation of an off-leash dog park.
The park was originally named through a contest which then first-grader Tara Springston won with her suggestion of Heritage Park. But when name-change supporter Janet Perfetti Sivils reached out to the now 20-year old UT Chattanooga student, Springston was in favor of the name change.
"Since I was very young when the park opened, I do not personally remember Mr. Benson," Springston wrote. " I was very pleased with what I learned of his selfless involvement to benefit the city of Chattanooga. He invested into all of us, and for that, he deserves to be remembered."
Last Tuesday evening, the council voted 8-0 in favor of the measure, with current District 4 Councilman Larry Grohn abstaining.
"To name it for him is, to me, the most appropriate thing that the council could do tonight," Littlefield said after the vote, describing the park as Benson's "baby, his sweetheart."
Grohn asked the council to delay the vote until supporters of the name change could meet with the Friends of East Brainerd on Jan. 19.
"There's been no effort by this group to meet the Friends of East Brainerd or any other group in the neighborhood," Grohn said, citing a split within the district based on emails he presented to council members earlier in the day. "It's unfortunate that the proponents for this decided not to meet with the community."
Councilman Yusuf Hakeem recommended those opposed to the name change review Benson's history and the park's background.
"Unfortunately, we as citizens sometimes have a short memory as to the good people do," Hakeem said.
"This issue has become a popularity contest which, I believe, will damage the legacy of Jack Benson," Grohn said in an email to fellow council members last week.
Before the meeting, Grohn denied claims he had a vendetta against Benson, whom he defeated in a runoff election for the District 4 council seat in 2013.
Hakeem questioned the last-minute call to delay the vote, calling it a disservice to the East Brainerd community to do so.
"I guess if there's a split, there needs to be a vote," said Hakeem.
Staff writer Gabrielle Chevalier contributed to this story.
Email Paul Leach at pleach@timesfreepress.com.