City To Rename Park Street As Warder Street

The Bourbon City Council voted on June 18 to rename Park Street as Warder Street to honor the late Warder Bremer.

Bremer spearheaded the development of the city park in the 1960s and the park board has been discussing ways to honor his legacy.

Park board chair Steve Pasch suggested at the December 18, 2018 meeting that they wanted to dedicate something to Bremer.

Pasch said at the June meeting that renaming it Warder Street would be more permanent than a piece of equipment or anything else.

Bremer served as chairman “phenomenally” said Pasch. 

“He lived in this community his entire life and he did a lot of good things,” he said. “We all thought there needs to be something solid dedicated to that man.”

City Attorney Robert Davis will draft an ordinance to formally change the street name.

Bremer secured the 10-acre property in 1966 for $7,000. Pasch said in December that had it not been for Bremer, “someone may have snatched (the property) up.”

The park used to be a vacant field owned by Ted Siebenman. 

Bremer passed away in April 2006 and he served as chairman for 40 years. 

His wife, Alice Bremer, told the Independent News in December that Warder dedicated a lot of time towards developing the park. 

They worked tirelessly in applying for grants and as a family, they prepared it for public usage.

Warder Bremer was the first park board president. The board was established in 1965 and included George Russell as vice president, Gertrude Kimberlin as secretary, Eugene Johnson as treasurer and George Walka as a board member.

Known then as the Bourbon Park Commission, they purchased equipment and constructed the pavilions that remain. Several pieces of equipment that they first installed are still used.