The skate park at Main Beach is now officially the Poe Pinson Skate Park following a split 3-2 vote Tuesday by the Fernandina Beach City Commission.
The 19-year-old Pinson produced a groundswell of support and goodwill after her Olympic performance in the Women's Street Skateboard competition in Paris. Hundreds of onlookers had gathered in local restaurants to watch her compete.
The vote to name the park after Pinson, who is still in Paris, came along typical city commission decisions with Mayor Bradley Bean, Vice Mayor David Sturges and Commissioner Darron Ayscue supporting the motion. Commissioners James Antun and Chip Ross cast opposing votes.
"This is something that doesn't happen every day. To have an Olympian from Fernandina is special in itself. What a great person and representative of our community Miss Pinson is," said Mayor Bradley Bean. "She has graced our community, and I think we need to return the favor."
After praising Pinson, Antun opposed renaming the park, saying that in the future, another skateboarder from Fernandina Beach may also compete in the Olympics.
"I want to present a devil's advocate argument why it may be dicey to name it after one individual. Perhaps four years from now we have another Olympian and it would be a little challenging to consider competing who deserves that name," Antun said. "I'm much more in favor of considering a commemorative plaque board where multiple athletes can be recognized. And, we're not pigeon holed into potentially having a precarious situation with the names."
Ross opposed naming the skate park, stating it was bad public policy to name a building or facility after people who are living.
"That being said, this young lady did an extraordinary job and should be commended," Ross said. "I think a compromise might be to call it Olympic Park and then to have a list of Olympians who participated in that park. That would give young people something to strive for to be listed at this park."
Those arguments were countered by the three other commissioners as well as several speakers.
Wally Borrero, a longtime skate park supporter, told commissioners that when he texted Pinson about plans to rename the skate park, she had a short reply.
"Um, yeah, I guess that's fine. It's cool," Borrero quoted Pinson's response.
He added "if she doesn't mind a park being named after her, let her enjoy this while she's alive. I would hate for somebody to be dead to enjoy a name on a park."
Bean countered Ross's assertion regarding the city naming facilities after people who are living citing former longtime Commissioner Ron Sapp.
"We actually just named the Ron Sapp Greenway while he is alive. We all love Mayour Sapp and people could see the honor we were giving him," Bean said.
A parade honoring Pinson in historic downtown Fernandina is scheduled for Aug. 16.
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