Center Street Landing may not need to be renamed Veterans' Memorial Park after all.

According to accounts, it was given a similar dedication more than 12 years ago.

After the idea to change the park's name was proposed three weeks ago, a couple of citizens with good memories pointed out that former-Mayor William R. Sheridan officially named the area Ironton Veterans' Memorial Riverfront Park by signing a proclamation on Oct. 24, 1990.

"I had forgotten all about it, even after reading the article," Sheridan said. "At the time, I thought a proclamation would do it. It should be a done deal."

However, if Ironton City Council did not feel it was sufficient, the city could refocus on rededicating the park, Sheridan said.

The issue was revived three weeks ago when Charles Meadow Jr. and Commander Ron McFann, both of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 765,

proposed the name change to Council.

Meadows said the name given by Sheridan's proclamation would be fine with him, and that including all veterans is the most important thing.

"We are all brothers," he said. "We are all in the same group, really."

If all the veterans' agencies work together, they may be able to find local, state or federal funding to make improvements, such as a picnic shelter, no littering signs, a playground, a floating boat ramp and a handicapped fishing pier, Meadows said.

Council Chairman Jesse Roberts said that the original proclamation may be sufficient, but it may be time for Council to reinforce it by passing it into law with an ordinance.

"It has been forgotten, so this may put it in a formal documented record," he said.

City Solicitor Robert Anderson said he could not say for certain if a proclamation was enough to rename a park without researching the issue, and could only comment on the specific situation to the city.

Although it does not technically require input from the Recreation Department, Director Darrell Fry said he has no real objections to renaming the park, but preferred the name Sheridan proposed because it still incorporates the riverfront aspect into the name and gives a clearer description of where it is.

Council referred the issue to Bob Lipker, Parks and Recreation Committee chairman, who said he supports it and thinks the rest of Council would as well.

Because the mayor's office could not find a record of the proclamation,

Lipker said he has no problem with the previous name and will make a recommendation to Council.

If approved, he would like to see the park rededicated later this year after the floodwall improvements are completed.

Mayor Bob Cleary agreed that this may be the best course of action since the names are so similar.

"The current name is so close that we may just do a rededication," he said. "My theory was it would take Council's resolution to name something, but the proclamation may be enough."

Mayor Cleary, who was on the Ironton City Council at the time, said he does not remember the park being named and the city would not keep a record of a proclamation.

The mayor said the weather has posed problems for construction projects across the county, but the widening of the floodwall and other improvements will be completed by summer.

"My promise to the community is that they can drive through there by July 4," he said.