GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The city of Grand Rapids confirms it has received a request to change the name of Cesar E. Chavez Avenue in the wake of sexual harassment and assault allegations against the late labor leader.
The Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association submitted the request to the City Engineer’s Office with 99 signatures from community members, a Grand Rapids spokesperson said Thursday.
Grand Rapids neighbors debate renaming Cesar Chavez Avenue
Now, the engineering department will send the request out to 17 city departments and community agencies for review and comment, including the police and fire departments, road commission, public works department, ambulance services and the postal service.
For a street name proposal to be approved, it must meet criteria put forth by the city and be evaluated by the cost, effort and inconvenience to the community. When all departments have provided their response, the engineering department prepares a report to send to the City Manager, who may send it to City Commission for public hearing and consideration. If approved, all property owners on that street and nearby neighborhood organizations will be notified.
Dolores Huerta says Cesar Chavez assaulted her, fathered 2 of her children
In March, the New York Times published results of an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by Chavez. That same day, civil rights leader and activist Dolores Huerta said Chavez sexually assaulted her and fathered two of her children. After those allegations surfaced, the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Organization said many people expressed interest in restoring the street name back to Grandville Avenue, which is what the street was called until February 2022, when it was renamed for the civil rights leader…