Unidentified speaker says downtown park now Rosa Parks Square has been redesigned as an inclusive civic plaza

An unidentified speaker addressed attendees about the downtown park at Cotton Avenue, 1st Street and Poplar Street, saying the site "has been envisioned as a civic plaza for our community" since 1978 and is now known as Rosa Parks Square.

The speaker said the square "has highlighted for generations the vision and tenacity of our citizens to make sure that this downtown is an inclusive place that tells our story in a real and tangible way." They described the park as "a place where our citizens can be their highest form of themselves" and as a venue for events and public expression that faces City Hall and sits beside the Centennial Project and the city auditorium.

The speaker listed commemorations at the square, saying it has "adorned the names of local civil rights legends like DT Walton and Ozie Bell McKay" and honors the national figure Rosa Parks. They said the space represents "an inclusive community that can bring all of us together" and announced that it is now "fully redesigned as a beautiful, inclusive, and usable space for our community to bring forth new memories and new legends for generations to come." The transcript contains one line that reads "Bridal Parks Square," which appears to be a transcription error; the park is identified elsewhere in the remarks as Rosa Parks Square.

The remarks did not provide dates, funding sources, contractor names or a city department responsible for the redesign; those details were not specified in the transcript. No formal motion, vote, or follow-up assignment was recorded in the provided excerpts.

The speaker closed by emphasizing the park's role as a symbol of civic pride and inclusion.