Petition Started To Change Name Of Denver's Columbus Park To La Raza

DENVER (CBS4) - A Denver city councilmember and several state lawmakers gathered signatures to officially change the name of "Columbus Park" to "La Raza Park."

The park is at 38th Avenue and Navajo Street in the Sunnyside neighborhood.

Amanda Sandoval is the councilwoman for that area and is pushing for the official name change along with State Senator Julie Gonzales and State Representative Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez.

Sandoval says it's about making the name official that residents have called it for years.

"It's such an honor for me to be able to move this forward on behalf of the people in Denver," Sandoval said, "the community, that's been calling it La Raza for 50 years."

And La Raza has special meaning for Sandoval and the neighborhood.

"My whole life growing up in this neighborhood, this park was called La Raza Park with a sign that says Columbus which are direct clashes of each."

She does acknowledge the change is controversial. "We're getting some opposition. There's an Italian American community that feels like I'm not honoring them by changing the name of the park and in no way am I trying to do that."

They need more than 300 signatures to move forward with the process but Sanadoval is hoping to get 500.

The petition will then go to Denver Parks & Recreation where the signatures will be verified. Parks & Rec will then vote on the proposal.

If it agrees, the next stop is the Denver City Council where there would be a public hearing.

Last month, the city took down the Columbus sign at the park.