AUBURN — The grassy patch behind Rolly’s Diner in New Auburn has a name, Sullivan Square, according to city councilors Monday night.

They approved naming the parcel to honor shopkeeper Dinny Sullivan by a 4-3 vote, with Robert Hayes, Mary Lafontaine and Joshua Shea in opposition.

“I’m not in favor of putting a personal name on a park,” Hayes said. “I think there is a lot of history to this whole community and there are a lot of names we could use here, there and everywhere. I’d rather take a broader historical view.”

The decision puts an end to months of discussions.

Councilor Belinda Gerry first proposed naming the parcel at 8 S. Main St. for Sullivan in the spring. Dennis J. “Dinny” Sullivan and his son John J. Sullivan owned a variety store on that spot for years.

Dennis Sullivan emigrated to the United States in 1899, settling in Auburn.

“My vision for this park is to have little tables set up, not a whole bunch but three or four, so people could play cards or checkers or backgammon,” Gerry said. “They could get a lunch from a neighboring restaurant and go sit and read the paper.”

Councilors asked the public for their suggestions. Three more came in, including two from Mayor Jonathan LaBonte, who suggested a generic name for the parcel.

LaBonte said Monday that he had withdrawn his suggestion, leaving just Sullivan and Zallen, named for the owners of the Progressive Bakery. The bakery and Sullivan’s grocery shared a wall at one time.

Councilors reviewed all the suggestions at a July workshop meeting, but deferred a decision.

Councilor Leroy Walker said he was happy with simply naming the plot for Sullivan and put that on the table. Gerry suggested including the Zallens in the name, but her suggestion didn’t get any support.

Hayes suggested naming it Celtic Park, in honor of the Sullivan’s Irish heritage. It would name the park for a group of people, not one individual, and would mirror Lewiston’s Franco-American Heritage Center across the river.

“I think we need this discussion and calling it Celtic Park might be the right compromise here,” he said. “I think we need to have better discussion on everything and the whole history.”

His measure failed, and councilors approved the Sullivan Square name.

But Councilor Walker said he thought Hayes was being too clever and political with his suggestion.

“He was playing politics with something and I’m sick of it,” Walker said. “That’s the reason we have such a hard time getting anything accomplished and why it took nearly two hours to settle this.”

[email protected]