“The park was never changed”: Pass Christian alderman end rumors about War Memorial Park

There was controversy in Pass Christian early this month after events continuously misnamed a beloved park in the city.

Understanding the history is necessary to set the record straight.

Amid World War II, the families of Pass Christian created an oasis for themselves on a small plot of land in 1944.

Upon returning from the war, Ward 4 Alderman Victor Pickich’s grandfathers helped establish a park alongside veterans.

“My grandfather had a service station here, and they used a jeep and a tow truck and everything else to pull stumps and move things throughout the park on the weekends to have picnics here,” Victor Pickich said. “They made it what it is here today.”

Now, Pickich and other families with a connection to the war continue to dedicate time to the park.

“I’m the third generation here in Pass Christian in my family, that is involved with the park. I play with my son here, I played with my grandfathers here and my dad, as they did with their fathers.”

In recent years, there’s been some confusion surrounding the name of the park. Many residents became concerned when rumors that the name was changed from War Memorial Park to just Memorial Park started up late last year. The board of Alderman is officially putting this rumor to rest. The name has not been changed, and it never will.

“What became an uproar is actually settled because the park was never changed,” Pickich said. “We are doing an ordinance now to where it is War Memorial Park. That is the name. That is what it will hopefully be for as long as I am alive. ”

The city would have to relinquish the land if they changed the name.

“At the end of the day,” he said. “it’s not the mayor and the city board that really has the ultimate say to change it, it’s the community. You know, you have generations of families here who have built this park.”