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Zibiwes Nature Area Naming Ceremony 2023

Zibiwes Nature Area Naming Ceremony 2023

Zibiwes Nature Area Naming Ceremony 2023

Zibiwes Nature Area Naming Ceremony 2023

Each name is designed to teach something about the animal, so stay tuned over the next few months as we announce their names.

This is an excerpt from the July 8, 2024 City Council meeting. Item # 10.A Consideration of Approval of Resolution No. 23-24 Naming Conservation Easement Park Land, Located South of E.C. Hafer Park, the Charles Lamb Nature Preserve in Honor of Charles Lamb, a Former Mayor, Councilmember, and Civic Leader. (Ward 1) Background Charles Lamb moved to Edmond in 1958 at the age of 13. He graduated from Edmond High School in 1965 and received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Central State University (now the University of Central Oklahoma). He served the Edmond community for decades through his participation in many organizations and boards, including the Urban Forestry Commission, Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority, Edmond Historic Preservation Trust, Central Edmond Urban Board, Planning Commission, Edmond Economic Development Authority, Edmond Noon AMBUCS, Rotary Club of Edmond, Tomorrow’s Edmond Steering and Implementation Committee, and the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce (and more!). He served as Edmond City Council’s Ward 3 Councilperson for 18 years and as the Mayor for 6 years. During his tenure as chairperson of the Urban Forestry Commission, he helped to provide an outline for a proactive approach to develop, maintain, and preserve the city’s forest, both urban and native. He was also instrumental in getting Arcadia Lake built. In a special election held on October 12, 2021, voters supported the use of a temporary (1 year, January 1 to December 31, 2022) 1/4% sales tax to be used for the purchase of a parcel of land located south of E.C. Hafer Park. In February 2022, the Mayor and City Council passed a resolution to authorize The Edmond Land Conservancy, Inc. (ELC) to create a conservation easement on the 22-acre parcel. Over the course of the next year and a half, a committee of ELC representatives, citizens, city staff, and UCO professors and students worked to develop the structure and guidelines for the property. In October 2023, details of the conservation easement were approved, which included some minor boundary changes that increased the park size to approximately 25 acres. The intent of the easement is that the property shall become and remain a “minimally developed natural area” public park. Since the time of his passing on December 11, 2018, there has been a desire to honor Charles Lamb by naming a city park or amenity after him. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board formed a subcommittee in November 2023, which also included citizens and some members of the CIP Advisory Board, to consider and recommend potential sites for the naming honor. The new conservation easement park land has provided an appropriate venue to accomplish this goal. The Edmond Land Conservancy and Charles Lamb’s family are supportive of this choice. Private fundraising is planned to support the installation of a commemorative plaque or art piece outside the entrance to the park. This item has been reviewed by the City Attorney’s Office as to form and legality. Time Frame If approved, the new park name will go into effect immediately. Issue To name the conservation park land located south of E.C. Hafer Park as the Charles Lamb Nature Preserve. Recommendations Staff recommends approval. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board unanimously recommended approval at their June 20, 2024, meeting. Action Needed Motion to Approve. Public Notification Posted Agenda. City of Edmond: http://www.edmondok.gov For our Social Media Usage Policy, please visit http://www.edmondok.gov/socialmedia #CityofEdmond

Zibiwes Nature Area Naming Ceremony 2023

Huntington Beach honored the extraordinary legacy of former Mayor Shirley Dettloff with the official naming of the Shirley Dettloff Interpretive Center at Shipley Nature Center. Community leaders, volunteers, and residents gathered for a heartfelt ceremony recognizing her decades of environmental advocacy, civic leadership, and unwavering commitment to public service. Speakers reflected on Dettloff’s instrumental role in saving Shipley Nature Center from closure in the early 2000s, her leadership in founding the Friends of Shipley Nature Center, and her broader impact—from protecting the Bolsa Chica wetlands to serving on the California Coastal Commission. The event also acknowledged the volunteers and organizations who have continued her work, and concluded with a call to carry her legacy forward through community involvement and environmental stewardship. As Huntington Beach looks toward the future of Shipley Nature Center, this dedication ensures Shirley Dettloff’s name and impact will continue to inspire future generations.