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WILKES-BARRE — The playground at Barney Farms Park was a favorite of Nathan Gray and it could soon be named for him.
Mayor George Brown Friday said he notified the Gray family of his proposal to rename the playground to honor the memory of Nathan who died on Jan. 6 from cancer.
“I spoke to Nathan’s mother a little while ago and we discussed the fact that Nathan loved that park,” Brown said. In fact, Nathan had some ideas for the park, Brown added.
The priority is to get City Council’s approval to rename the park and then make improvements there and other city parks, Brown said.
Only 8, Nathan attained larger-than-life status for how he handled himself through the treatments and surgeries following his diagnosis at the age of 2 of a rare form of kidney cancer. His family opened his world to the public on the “Nathan the Superhero” Facebook page.
“Nathan’s heroic battle with cancer, his love of life and his ability to remain positive throughout his ordeal should be an inspiration to us all,” Brown told City Council Thursday night.
“At Council’s next meeting, I’ll be asking City Council to pass a resolution naming the playground area at Barney Farms Park the Nathan Gray Playground. I feel this would be an appropriate way for the city to honor the memory of Nathan Gray,” Brown said.
“Nathan would visit that (park) quite often when he was feeling well enough to do that. So I think it would be a wonderful thing,” Brown said.
Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.