Here’s how to speak out about renaming Kansas City’s J.C. Nichols street and fountain

Before even the first public meeting on whether to strip J.C. Nichols’ name from the fountain and street that honor him, 300 people have already had their say on the matter.

That’s how many emails Kansas City’s Board of Parks and Recreation has received so far about whether to rename J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain and J.C. Nichols Parkway, spokeswoman Leslie Alford said. Both are on the Country Club Plaza, which Nichols developed in the 1920s.

The board is giving the public two chances to voice opinions in meetings as well. Here’s how:

Board members and the department director will hear public comments starting at 6 p.m. Thursday at Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center, 3700 Blue Parkway.

Those who attend can sign up to speak for two minutes each.

Organizers are taking safety precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. About 165 chairs set six feet apart can fit inside the building. Of those, about 100 will fit inside the auditorium. The remainder will be set in the lobby, which will have TVs showing the session. A few audience members may stand in the balcony.

The department is asking attendees to wear face masks.

The session will be broadcast live on KCCG-TV2, available via cable or online at kcmo.gov.

The second session will be held virtually at 2 p.m. June 24, although the department is still working on the details, which will be posted at KCparks.org.

The board expects to discuss the name removal at its next regular meeting on June 30.

The public can still email questions and comments to KCParksEngage@kcmo.org.

Earlier this month, parks Commissioner Chris Goode proposed removing Nichols’ name, saying the developer promoted racism by restricting Black people, Jews, Italians and others from the neighborhoods he developed on both sides of the state line.

Goode suggested that the street be renamed in honor of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and that the fountain be named the Dream Fountain.

But on Wednesday, the Kansas City chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference came out against renaming J.C. Nichols Parkway for King, saying the civil rights leader should have his name on a major boulevard, not a half-mile-long street.

Goode later agreed that renaming the parkway for King wasn’t the best option and that he wanted to focus first on removing Nichols’ name.

This story was originally published June 17, 2020 at 5:35 PM.