What should the new City Hall park be named?
Survey open until June 10
Names are incredibly powerful. Take the name Ahwa’y, the Chumash word for Moon. The word that became Ojai, the name of our beloved and beautiful city. Names conjure up images. A name can feel like home. A name makes the connection between you and a place. It is the identity of a place.
Regarding the 8 acre property behind City Hall, a word that keeps coming to mind to the Ojai Valley Green Coalition is “placemaking”. Placemaking “focuses on collaboratively creating public spaces that are meaningful, functional, and attractive, emphasizing the relationship between people and the places they inhabit… which enhances community engagement, social connection and overall quality of life.”
Over the past three years, members of the community have envisioned that the City Hall 8 acre property could be restored and enhanced as a natural sanctuary and educational resource to benefit people of all ages. Visitors could be inspired by the healthy ecosystem surrounding the nearby creek, by beautiful demonstration gardens, and by restored natural landscapes. They could then bring this inspiration home by participating in Eco Center programming, such as talks, classes, hands-on workshops and demonstrations, and even celebrations. The result could be a more resilient, connected, and healthy Ojai Valley for all.
Taking into consideration all the things that this property is and can be, what should we call it?
Here are a few ideas…
Some parks are named after people. Should the word “Chumash” be used, or a word in Chumash? The Hobson-Smith Family owned the property and donated it to the City with the intention of it being a natural park for the public.
The property could be named after what it will be used for - an educational space where people, plants and animals co-exist, interact, and are in relationship.
The property could be named after its features - and this park has a natural creek running right through it. It has native Oaks and Toyons, and even an endemic grass species called Purple Needlegrass found only in Ojai.
Until June 10, 2026, this survey is open online. The OVGC will select the top 3-5 names suggested by the public and will submit them to the City Council on May 26th. Suggested names (or portions thereof) may be considered by the City Council who will ultimately determine the name of the Eco Park/Center, date to be determined.
Click HERE to take the Survey.
