Point Place park will be renamed for Harry Kessler

8/1/2007

A city park along the Ottawa River in Point Place soon will bear the name of the late Harry Kessler, Toledo s mayor for nearly seven years during the 1970s and one of the neighborhood s favorite sons.

Mayor Carty Finkbeiner yesterday announced he will propose legislation to city council renaming Ottawa River Park as Harry W. Kessler Memorial Park.

The park at Ottawa River Road and 290th Street is near Mr. Kessler s longtime home.

Brian Schwartz, a mayoral spokesman, said the proposal will be presented to council Tuesday and, if adopted, a renaming ceremony will be held Aug. 15, on what would have been Mr. Kessler s 80th birthday.

Mr. Kessler died Jan. 3.

His local political career spanned 30 years and reached its zenith when he served as mayor from Jan. 27, 1971, until Dec. 1, 1977.

After deciding not to seek re-election as mayor in 1977, Mr. Kessler successfully ran for clerk of Toledo Municipal Court, an office he held until 1992.

For three years after that, he was a member of the Toledo Board of Education.

For five years before becoming mayor, Mr. Kessler was a city councilman and then vice mayor.