What was once considered an eyesore, a vacant lot filled with weeds, is now a place for flourishing imaginations. Children cross the London Bridge where they meet Peter Pan inside the Lost Boys’ hideout, plotting a way to defeat Captain Hook on his pirate ship. After winning their play sword fight, they celebrate their victory by splashing in the River Thames. You don’t need a sprinkle of fairy dust to join the fun—you just need to head to the park across from Westminster City Hall.
It’s easy to get caught up in the whimsy of what many residents lovingly call, “Peter Pan Park.” The park has open space for tossing a ball or getting a suntan; a splash pad for kids to cool off; an amphitheater for listening to music together as a community. However, before it became a place for the Lost Boys to defeat Captain Hook, the park was just a jungle of brush.
Former City Manager Brent McFall saw the open lot from his City Hall office in 2007 and knew it had the potential to be something great. Inspired by residents who asked for more park space, he helped the City secure grant money to clean up the area.
“We had neighbors who kept asking us when are we going to develop this park, so it really moved up on our priority list,” McFall remembered. “I am proud to have a part in making the park.” McFall said he fondly remembers how much he enjoyed gazing out his office window, smiling as residents enjoyed Westminster’s fresh air.
His involvement in bringing the park to life is one of the many reasons Westminster Center Park will be renamed McFall Park this July. McFall served as Westminster’s City Manager for 14 years from 2001 to 2015. During his tenure, the City welcomed Orchard Town Center, the Shops at Walnut Creek, development in Shoenberg Farms, an arts district in Historic Westminster, along with an award-winning parks and open space program. In fact, under McFall’s leadership, the United Nations gave Westminster its Livable Communities Award for Use of Environmentally Sensitive Practices in 2005, and won its National Gold Medal Award from the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration. McFall also had a lasting impact on City staff by creating the organization’s SPIRIT Values (Service, Pride, Integrity, Responsibility, Innovation, Teamwork), which still live on twenty years later. “Having those values in the forefront after all these years is rewarding to me and gives me a feeling that I have helped contribute to the wellbeing of the city.”
Motivated by his long-lasting legacy in Westminster, McFall’s former Deputy City Manager Steve Smithers asked the current City Council to rename Westminster Center Park to honor McFall. “At my core, I appreciated working with someone who had such a great impact.” Smithers said McFall worked hard to develop Westminster into what it is today. “Brent cared about Westminster, and it shows in greatness,” he said with admiration.
As for McFall, he is modest about this new honor. “I’m humbled by the whole experience. No one goes into city management for recognition. I went into city management because I love what cities do daily to impact so many lives.” He finds the honor of having the park named after him extra special because of “its proximity to City Hall where I feel like I spent my life.”
In keeping with McFall’s humble spirit, the dedication of McFall Park is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday, July 14, ahead of the “Movie in the Park” viewing of “Minions: The Rise of Gru.” Westminster residents will enjoy a summer evening in the park and may not even know the person who brought the park to fruition is in their midst. McFall prefers it that way.