City Council to vote on renaming park in honor of Efren Coronel
EL CENTRO — Momentum is gathering in a local effort to rename Wildflower Park in honor of a late El Centro Police Department officer.
Based on a decision made Thursday, the El Centro City Council will be reviewing a recommendation to rename the public park to Efren Coronel Park.
Coronel, an officer with ECPD for nearly 24 years, passed away on June 3 from medical complications related to COVID-19. He contracted the virus on duty while dealing with a suspect.
His badge number, #354, was officially retired by the department.
The El Centro Library and Community Services Board received a submission from the 2008 Dynamo girls’ soccer team to rename the park, which is located at 950 S. Lotus Ave.
Coronel was the coach of the soccer travel team before he passed. While the team itself competes in San Diego, Coronel typically held team practices at Wildflower.
The team made the petition as a way to honor Coronel’s legacy as a police officer and recreational soccer coach.
Overall, he coached local soccer teams for more than 12 years. He had a U.S. Soccer Federation national “E” license.
Coronel was also a board member for Dynamo, as well as a coach and mentor with the El Centro P program.
He previously coached T-ball, and the Dynamo soccer teams that his son and daughter played on.
The 2008 team explained that it has obtained support for its submission from various law enforcement agencies in Imperial Valley, including ECPD, Border Patrol, Imperial County Sheriff’s Office, Imperial County Fire Department and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
The Library and Community Services Board reviewed the submission during a public hearing at noon Thursday, which was livestreamed via Zoom.
The submission consisted of two requests: The renaming of the park, and to allow an exception of the city’s current policy for naming city property and streets.
The policy states that “city-owned facilities
named in honor of deceased persons will not be considered until at least one year after their deaths.”
The board ultimately voted in favor of both requests with a unanimous vote.
The board will now recommend to the City Council to rename Wildflower to Efren Coronel Park. The council will review the recommendation during its next scheduled meeting Sept. 15 (no meeting to be held in August).
During the public hearing, Dynamo par
ents and players spoke before the board on how renaming the park would rightfully honor Coronel and his legacy.
“He paid the ultimate sacrifice for every citizen in this city,” Art Yerena, treasurer of the Dynamo program, said.
Three players from the 2008 team — Lela Yerena, Alexa Ruiz and Kiani Gomez — shared heartfelt reflections of their late coach while wearing their team jerseys.
“I don’t think any of my future coaches can replace him; I miss you Coach Efren,” one of the
players said.
Miguel Garcia, who is currently coach of the 2008 team, shared what Coach Coronel meant to the team and the community at large.
“Efren proudly served the city,” Garcia said. “Even after working long shifts, instead of going home and relaxing, he would load up his car with soccer cones, and head out to practice. Renaming Wildflower Park will serve as a constant reminder to our community of the ultimate sacrifice that Coach made.”