Cindy Burnham on the between-names property last year.
Having safeguarded a borough-owned riverfront property from sale and possible development last year, Cindy Burnham went to the Red Bank Council earlier this week hoping to get quick approval for a name for the parcel:
River Cove Waterfront Path.
Burnham says the site was identified as ‘River Cove’ on deeds she uncovered as part of her research into the history of the site. The ‘path’ part connotes the walkway Burnham and other volunteers hacked out of the weeds at the site to the bank of the Navesink River — the only place in the borough where someone can get direct and easy access to the waterway.
Her aim was to get a quick OK for the name and clearance to erect a sign and two benches on the property in time for a self-imposed April deadline — an opening ceremony at the start of the kayaking and canoeing season.
But Burnham’s efforts turned to evident exasperation, and later embarrassment, when the question was kicked over to the Parks & Rec committee for discussion and Councilwoman Juanita Lewis — the liaison to the committee — suggested letting the children of Red Bank take a crack at coming up with a name.
“Oh come on, this is my baby,” Burnham said while standing at the microphone addressing the council.
“This really is a little bigger than you,” replied Councilwoman Sharon Lee.
Afterward, Burnham — who, like Lewis, is a former board of education member — told redbankgreen that her eagerness to move the project forward got the best of her, and that she thinks it a “terrific idea” to put it out to the kids.
Lewis tells us the Parks & Rec committee met last night and agreed to open the naming contest to students at the primary, middle and charter schools.
“I think it’s good to have community input, and kids can come up with good ideas,” she says.
