New Park In EDDIE VAN HALEN's Former Hometown May Be Named After Legendary Guitarist

[James in New York]

BLABBERMOUTH.NET

New Park In EDDIE VAN HALEN's Former Hometown Could Be Named After Legendary Guitarist


Eddie Van Halen Park and Edward Van Halen Memorial Park are among the names being considered for a new park which will soon be under construction in the legendary VAN HALEN guitarist's former hometown of Pasadena, California.

The park, located at 701 East Union Street (between El Molino Avenue and Oak Knoll Avenue), will have open space for informal recreation, relaxation, and community gatherings; children’s playground with shade structures; public restrooms; a 48-space parking plaza; and a dog run.



Now through Friday, September 24 at 4:00 p.m., Pasadena city officials are asking the community to review the all names that are being considered and vote for their preferred choice.

Votes will be tallied and presented to the Recreation and Parks Commission for discussion and, subsequently, a recommendation of the park's official name will be presented to City Council for its consideration.

Park naming criteria: Pasadena will adopt a name for the new park that meets at least one of the criteria established in the City's Public Park and Recreation Facility Naming Policy. The criteria are as follows:

* Geographical location of the park of facility;
* Natural or geological features proximate to the park or facility;
* Cultural or historical significance to the City or surrounding neighborhood;
* Name of an individual who has made a significant contribution to the community, country, state, or field of parks and recreation.

Last October, a City Council meeting was held in Pasadena where a memorial honoring Eddie was discussed.

City manager Steve Mermell was directed to come up with ideas for how to best honor the musician, who died earlier that same month at the age of 65.

In the first three weeks after Eddie's death, the city was bombarded with requests to pay tribute to the guitarist "to recognize both his local connection to Pasadena, as well as the impact that his artistry had on music," Mermell wrote in a report.

"Recognizing Van Halen the band and/or individual members should be considered," according to the report. "With his passing, Eddie Van Halen's international recognition as a musical artist is noted for the significant impact he had on the Rock & Roll genre and his legacy is a source of hometown pride for the city."

Following Eddie's death after a long battle with cancer, fans left flowers at his childhood home on Las Lunas Street in Pasadena. Additional flowers, candles and fan mementos were placed on Allen Avenue where Eddie and Alex scratched their band's name into the wet cement of a sidewalk when they were teenagers.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.

The park in Pasadena's Playhouse District is pictured below in a rendering provided by city officials.

[Jedi McFly]

Pasadena4VanHalen on Instagram also spearheaded a petition/fundraiser to the city council for an EVH memorial. They just announced a plaque will be installed at the Pasadena Civic Center with sign off / approval from the Van Halen family and permission to use the VH logo.

Would love the park to commemorate Ed too. Here's the park rendering. They should ditch that paver pattern and make it stripes. You can vote on the park name here.

[JMJ]

Edward Van Halen Memorial Park

I like it

Still so weird

Voted

Bump


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[MF5150]

"They just announced a plaque will be installed at the Pasadena Civic Center with sign off / approval from the Van Halen family and permission to use the VH logo."

Trying hard not to be cynical but the first thing I thought of was that they're going to be waiting a while....

Hope I'm wrong.

[James in New York]

They'll sign it.

[Raldo]

Hope they name it after him.

[Little Dreamer]

I motion that if there ever is a Van Halen Park, it will be MANDATORY that the inauguration happens on a SUNDAY AFTERNOON!

[James in New York]

I motion that if there ever is a Van Halen Park, it will be MANDATORY that the inauguration happens on a SUNDAY AFTERNOON!

Ha! Yes!

[chrisluckhardt]

I voted for "Edward Van Halen Memorial Park" because I remember reading that he preferred "Edward" over "Eddie".

[DFVH5150]

I voted for "Edward Van Halen Memorial Park" because I remember reading that he preferred "Edward" over "Eddie".

Yep, same here, even though I always refer to him as "Eddie."

[Destructo3]

The park needs an appropriate statute of Ed with guitar and an amphitheater for up and coming bands to have a venue to play. Maybe a guitar workshop for lessens. Do it right. Don’t just stick his name on the park.

[CaboChris]

The park needs an appropriate statute of Ed with guitar and an amphitheater for up and coming bands to have a venue to play. Maybe a guitar workshop for lessens. Do it right. Don’t just stick his name on the park.

It's a park not a shrine or venue.

[iplayguitaralot]

it probably goes against his and the families wishes, but there needs to be an evh statue

[fudd]

I voted for it.


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[Ashe]

Man, its never enough for some people. The city is offering to name a park after our hero to honor him. That is more than enough for me. Sure, maybe do a mosaic of his stripe design--something like the Imagine mosaic at Central Park or just a small plaque explaining his significance to the city and some of accomplishments in music. I'll be happy with just a sign with his name on it. I hope it goes through.

And I just have to say this. I'm done with statues. People will argue over the the pose he's in, whether its too small or too large, the guitar is wrong, etc. The likeness on these things is rarely accurate, and really...who wants to see Eddie covered in bird shit?

This is a nice gesture by the city to name a park after him. Can't we just be happy about that?