El Dorado Park Renamed Tim Strack Park to Honor Late Fire Captain
Published: 12/19/2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Dec. 19, 2023
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Phil Pitchford
Public Information Officer
951-826-5975
El Dorado Park Renamed Tim Strack Park to Honor Late Fire Captain
City Council unanimously approves change to honor 28-year veteran of fire service
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – El Dorado Park in the Arlanza neighborhood of Riverside has been renamed Tim Strack Park in honor of the Riverside Fire Department captain who died in April.
The City Council unanimously approved the change Tuesday (12/19) after the Mayor, City Council and members of the public spoke in favor of honoring Strack for his life of service to Riverside.
“Tim Strack’s life was devoted to caring for our community,” Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said. “Naming a park in his honor will keep his memory alive for generations of Riversiders as a testament to the power of putting service before self.”
Riverside City Firefighters’ Association (RCFA) President Michael Detoy requested the renaming in October, writing in his application that Strack “embodied the finest qualities of a true firefighter,” adding that Strack “loved the fire service, but he loved the City of Riverside even more.”
Riverside resident Ana Martin, who lives near the park, also applied for the renaming. She noted that Strack “was best known for his big heart, big spirit, big sense of adventure and, above all, his courage, commitment and dedication to fellow firefighters across the nation.”
The proposed renaming previously received support at a community meeting, at a meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission and the City Council’s Safety, Wellness and Youth Committee.
“In supporting this application for a renaming, our community has stood up in support of remembering Tim’s contributions to our city in this way,” said Councilmember Jim Perry, who represents the ward in which the park is located. “I’m proud to have led this effort to honor a Riverside hero.”
Fire Chief Michael Moore noted that Strack served the public for decades.
“Tim was a longtime selfless servant as the President of the Riverside City Firefighters’ Association, Local 1067, for 21 years and a voice for every frontline firefighter in the City of Riverside,” Moore said. “He also represented firefighters across the State of California as he also served as Vice President for California Professional Firefighters.”
A longtime Riverside resident with his wife, Wendy, and three adult children, Strack “was often referred to as ‘Mr. Riverside,’ because of his involvement in nearly every major City decision over the last two decades,” Moore said.
The park currently consists of 8.5 acres of grass and trees surrounded by single-family homes and is used mostly by people playing soccer or walking their dogs. A $2.45 million plan to improve the park is moving forward, with construction expected to begin in May 2024 and being completed that fall.
Improvements will include a new park monument sign, seating area, fitness stations, two playgrounds, picnic tables, concrete pathways and solar lighting and irrigation improvements.
“These park improvements will serve the neighborhood of Arlanza while also serving as a tribute to a true public servant,” Mayor Pro Tem Erin Edwards said. “We can all look forward to visiting Tim Strack Park next year.”
