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MADISON HEIGHTS — Last year, three places in Madison Heights were renamed in honor of prominent community members. That effort will continue this year, now that the City Council has approved recommendations by the Historical Commission for even more places commemorating key figures from the city’s past.
The council unanimously approved the list at its regular meeting April 15. The selections include the late Ed Swanson, who served as mayor from 1990 through 2015; the late Councilwoman Elva Mills, who served from 1983 through 1995, and who also served on the Madison school board and as mayor of Lexington; Rich Clark, who died April 8, and who served on the council from 1997 through 2017; and Lindell Ross, who served on the council from 1977 through 1993.
Swanson’s name will grace the Red Oaks Youth Soccer Complex, renaming it the Swanson Soccer Complex and Fields. The pavilion added to Rosie’s Park will be renamed in honor of Mills, while the billiards room at the new Active Adult Center will be renamed in honor of Clark. As for Ross, his name will grace the executive conference room at City Hall.
“We’re trying to honor some prominent people who have really contributed to our community,” said Sean Fleming, a member of the council who serves on the Historical Commission. “To me, this is a great way to recognize their contributions. When people see their name on something, they can think back to that person and talk about their legacy and everything they’ve done for us.”
He noted that each location will not only have its name changed, but there will also be a commemorative plaque installed that will tell the person’s story.
Last year’s naming initiative honored the late Oakland County Commissioner Gary McGillivray, as well as the late councilmen Robert Corbett and Bob Gettings.
Corbett and Gettings died while still in office, in 2022 and 2021, respectively. Corbett’s name was added to the new youth room at the renovated Madison Heights Public Library, while Gettings’ name was added to the pavilion at Monroe Park.
McGillivray, meanwhile, lived to see Twelve-Sherry Park renamed McGillivray Park last July. He died in November 2023.
The dates for this year’s dedications have not yet been decided, said Melissa Marsh, the city manager of Madison Heights.
Mayor Pro Tem Mark Bliss is a member of the Historical Commission’s naming subcommittee. He said the group is continually considering more people to honor with site dedications.
“We have quite the backlog, since we only started doing this last year. There are so many deserving names we want to honor. The Historical Commission intends to honor every single person who meets our qualifications within the city. It will just take time,” he said.
The announcement of the new honorees coincided with the grand reopening of the city’s historical museum in the lower level of City Hall at 300 W. 13 Mile Road. Called the Heritage Rooms, the facility underwent renovations following a flood during its COVID closure that fortunately didn’t damage the many artifacts stored there.
The rooms feature a recreation of a schoolhouse from the early 1990s, complete with furnishings from the era, as well as a wide assortment of photos, yearbooks, and even a new exhibit with memorabilia of the late Jim Myers — a former teacher and coach in the Madison school district who moonlit as pro wrestler George “The Animal” Steele.
The Historical Commission also continues to gather videotapes and photos of past city events, such as parades and festivals, which will be digitized and archived in an online database accessible to the public. The commission also wants to conduct video interviews with long-time residents, employees and volunteers who can describe past events in Madison Heights. The city celebrates its 70th anniversary next year.
Councilman Quinn Wright said he appreciates the site dedications, but he also wishes for the city to cast the net wider than just those who were well-known officeholders.
“I think it’s a great idea, and important to value the hard work and contributions that different members brought to the community. I just hope that going forward, we’re also inclusive of those who are not as easily remembered — those who were unnoticed for their hard work,” Wright said. “Because it’s about honoring the past, and the past would not be paved without the hard work of the many who worked tirelessly, unnoticed, for decades. They need to be respected, too — more so than the popular names or the few who had connections. We need to create an environment where everyone feels seen and valued.”
