Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The group Friends of Broderick Park has started an initiative looking to change the park's name from Broderick Park to "Freedom Park" by forming a petition.
During Tuesday's Community Development Committee Meeting of the Buffalo Common Council, city lawmakers heard from the public on changing the name of the park to "Freedom Park", given the location's historical significance to the Underground Railroad in the early-to-mid 1800s. The site was formally recognized by the National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom in 2010.
During the public hearing, Michael J. Broderick, the great-grandson of Michael Broderick - a founder of the West Side Rowing Club where the park is currently located on Unity Island - took the microphone in Council Chambers to speak on behalf of him family on the renaming of the park.
"Like any family, we take a great deal of pride in having the name, and having my great grandfather remembered," said Broderick on Tuesday. "He wasn't just somebody who rode boats. He was an organizer, and volunteered in putting together the West Side Rowing Club, which is a scholastic and academic program of world regard. Olympic athletes, world champions, national champions, and many Division I, Division II and Division III athletes have gone through and used their services. Again, we're very, very proud of it, and I'm hoping that his name is not relegated to history."
Despite expressing some disappointment with a lack of communication, at first, about the discussion of changing the park's name, Broderick says his family has signed off on supporting the push to rename the park, given its significance to history.
"I'm not sure what type of weight that bears, but we understand the cultural significance, and hoping that this Chamber will support the the name change," Broderick said.
Upon hearing the support from the Broderick family of the initiative to change the park's name to Freedom Park, several members of the Common Council praised Broderick, and assured him his great grandfather's significance to the City of Buffalo will not be forgotten.
"I'll just say very transparently, as an African-American male, to have you say what you just said and to not sacrifice, but to understand this request is huge," said Council President Darius Pridgen on Tuesday. "You asked the question, I don't know if this carries any weight, in my heart and for my vote, it carries a lot of weight."
Masten District Councilman Ulysses Wingo understands the Broderick family wanting to preserve its legacy and ensuring the family name will always remain or reverberate throughout history. He, too, commends Broderick and his family for their understanding of the role the park played in helping escaped slaves to freedom in the 1800s.
"For you to come in this Chamber and tell this body, even with all of the family history that you have and the pride that you have, you are seeking to understand the cultural relevance of that port, that gateway that allowed my ancestors to swim to freedom, that means so much," said Wingo on Tuesday. "I wish that we had more people who understood the cultural significance of that atrocious act in our history's past.
"I'm pretty sure we will do whatever we can. This is not my district either, but I'm pretty sure, at least, I can speak for this councilmember and repeat the words of our Council President, I'd be absolutely in favor of ensuring the Broderick name is somewhere in that park."
Coucil President pro tem Chris Scanlon says he has a good amount of familiarity with the Broderick family, and was not surprised to hear what he heard from Broderick on Tuesday on behalf of his family.
"To hear the compassion, the understanding and the support for this initiative after his family came together and discussed this is not even remotely surprising to me," said Scanlon. "As Councilmember Wingo and yourself both stated, I wish more people would behave in this manner and understand things in this manner, but it is just another example of the Broderick family leading in this city.
"I don't want to speak for the rest of the Council, but I think you'll see the Broderick family memorialized and remembered probably in quick fashion, not just because of their commitment to and their dedication to this city and the things they've done within this city, but also because of your family's commitment to this initiative."
The name change for Broderick Park will be brought up at a future Common Council session. That date is not known at this time.