The Buffalo Common Council met Tuesday and, in a unanimous vote, approved the renaming of Columbus Park back to its original name of Prospect Park.
A statue of Christopher Columbus was erected in the park along Porter Avenue and Niagara Street in the 1950s and was removed this past summer upon the request of the Federation of Italian-American Societies of Western New York, in order to protect the statue from damage in the wake of social justice protests.
"The removal of this statue will create an opening for a dialogue that will ensure a new statue and name for the park can be selected that preserves the legacy of service and contributions made by the Italian-American community in Buffalo while also honoring the diverse communities that makeup Buffalo’s population," said Mayor Byron Brown at the time. "A new location for the statue will be determined by the Federation and a process for renaming the park will shortly be announced."
Christopher Columbus statues have been taken down during protests in several other cities.
