With appreciation and acknowledgment for the work of the Stillwater Parks and Recreation Commission and the Stillwater City Council, we seek additional brainstorming around different ideas for the name of the city's newest park. This 15-acre site with nearly a mile of river shoreline will surely be treasured for generations.

We believe the city can do better than “Lumberjack Landing,” and has a responsibility to thoughtfully consider the message delivered by a park name. We seek a name that can be woven into what was, what is and what can be. A name can be multi-dimensional, descriptive and inspirational. Names should remain relevant as the community grows and changes.

Stillwater has promoted a lumberjack narrative for decades. It is an important part of the community’s heritage, but is widely used and overshadows other stories. We seek a comprehensive perspective—there is more here to share and more to build upon. Logging lasted less than a century, while the river valley’s human and natural history stretches back at least 10,000 years.