Bucking city commission recommendations, the Pasadena City Council voted to name a new swimming pool at Robinson Park Recreation Center after late councilmember John J. Kennedy, who died in office last year.
The new pool was originally meant to be named after activist Dr. Edna Griffin, Pasadena’s first Black female physician and the first Black woman president of the city’s NAACP chapter, as recommended by the city’s Recreation and Parks Commission, with a youth community room to be named for Kennedy.
However at its Aug. 21 meeting, Councilmember Justin Jones — who was appointed to fill Kennedy’s vacant council seat last year and is running to retain the position in the 2024 election —- moved to name the pool after Kennedy instead. The motion was seconded by Vice Mayor Felicia Williams.
“I believe it is important that we not only acknowledge the contributions of councilmember John J. Kennedy to the city but also recognize the substantial support received from Pasadena residents to name this pool after Mr. Kennedy,” Jones said.
The naming comes after a survey of residents voted overwhelmingly to name the swimming pool after Kennedy, with 266 of 305 votes going for the late councilmember. Griffin received the second most community votes, with 19.
“This is part of the systemic issue we continue to see in our communities…when we get public input we go against what the majority of the public says. I think it’s time we stop that and we move toward justice and we move toward what is right,” said Brandon Lamar, who ran for Kennedy’s seat unsuccessfully last year, and is vying for the seat in the March 2024 election.
“It’s not just the pool, it’s about what’s right,” he continued. “It’s about the dedication, the blood, sweat and tears that this man has put in to get the funding for this pool.”
Mayor Victor Gordo pointed out Kennedy’s role in the nearly $6 million Robinson Park upgrade project, which will build a new…
Read the full article here
