Should the Decorah Park Department have a policy about naming parks?

Members of the Decorah Park Board are trying to figure out whether they should write a policy on the naming of city parks and other park facilities.

The issue has come up because of a suggestion to rename the Decorah Community Prairie the "Paul Johnson Prairie" after the longtime State Representative and Iowa DNR Director from Decorah.

Park Board members want to consult with other Iowa park boards to see how they handle such requests.

Decorah already has nine parks named after someone--Carl Selland Wayside Park, Dunning's Spring Park, Mary Christopher Park, Miller Park, Nordheim Park, Phelps Park, Van Peenen Park, Will Baker Park and Wold Park.  In many cases these parks have been named after the person who donated the park or the money to buy land for a park.