Renaming of Gale School Park in Honor of Former Olympian Willye B. White Delayed

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by Dwayne T. Ervin

Last Wednesday community leadersrequested more time to renameGale School Park after the formerOlympian Willye B. White atChicago Park Districts monthlymeeting held at McKinley Park on 2210 W. Pershing Rd.

Willye B. White participated infour Olympiads and was the firstAmerican to compete on fiveOlympic track and field teams. Shewon another silver medal in the1964 Tokyo Games in the 4-by-100-meter relay. White competed inmore than 150 nations as a memberof thirty-nine different internationaltrack and field teams, according to aHistory Makers Biography.

White came to Chicago as a nurseat Cook County Hospital in 1963,worked at Greenwood MedicalCenter and in 1965 became a publichealth administrator at the ChicagoHealth Department. In 1990, Whitefounded WBW Hang onProductions, a sports and fitnessconsultancy business and laterfounded the Willye WhiteFoundation, which helped childrento develop self-esteem and becomeproductive citizens through theRobert Taylor Girls AthleticProgram. She died of pancreaticcancer February 6, 2007.

Alderman Joe Moore (49th) askedthe Board of Commissioners of theChicago Park District to defer thenaming of the park for another 45days. Chicago Park District VicePresident Bob Pickens was in favorof extending the deferment. PatHill, executive director of theAfrican-American Police League,supported naming Gale Park afterWillye White. She was also an oldteammate of White. We want totalk to school children from GaleSchool to do research on athletes,Hill said. White had a passion forchildren in the city.

The idea to name the park afterWhite was presented to the park districtin July, Hill stated. White livedin various parts of Chicago includingPark Manor and in Hyde Park.I agree that the community shouldhave some input, Hill continued.They have not heard anythingabout White, but now that theyknow about her, they are leaningtowards the renaming of Gale Parkin her honor. We are willing to followthe guidelines and have the childrendo research on White.

Park leaders, along with AldermanJoe Moore, agreed to keep Willye B.White as part of the overall list ofpeople to be considered for therenaming of Gale Park. In otherbusiness, park district employeeswere recognized for their years ofservice and residents of the OgdenPark area received permission fromthe board of commissioners to holdanother sports banquet.

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