Not long ago, the mural at Ellington Park stood as a reminder of Delano's history.
But now, that mural is gone, and it’s just one of several changes happening across the city.
The wall used to be filed with artwork but now remains empty.
And the same is true at the César Chávez Spray Park, the sign is gone, replaced by empty space.
This sweeping change stems from months of heated discussion, ignited after serious sexual assault allegations surfaced against the iconic labor leader.
23ABC first reported on the controversy at Cesar Chavez High School, where a student-led petition pushed for, and won, approval to change the school’s name.
That new name is still undecided.
Those conversations soon spilled into City Hall, bringing packed meetings and passionate debate.
In April, city staff made bold recommendations:
- Renaming Cesar Chavez Park to Ellington Park
- Shortening Cesar Chavez Lane to simply Chavez Lane
- Removing and replacing murals depicting Chávez
Now, much of that plan is in motion, and the city’s landscape is visibly changing.
"Yeah, I agree with the name change. I think the name changes are fine,” said Delano resident Alex Medel.
Alex Medel has lived in Delano his entire life, more specifically, he’s lived on Cesar Chavez Lane.
He tells me that while he doesn’t think it’s a serious issue, he says it does deserve attention.
“He was a civil rights activist you know and thats a legacy we should never forget about but we should never idolize people that don’t deserve to be idolized,” said Medel. “At the end of the day there’s much bigger problems than a street name being changed.”
While some of those recommendations have been carried out, others remain unfinished.
Street signs along Cesar Chavez Lane have not yet been updated, and a second mural depicting Chávez remains in place for now until city staff are able to contact the original artist.
Further discussions on the renaming of Cesar Chavez High School will take place Tuesday at 5 pm at RFK High.
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