Many Locals Oppose Renaming Street in Honor of Local R&B Group

In letters to the City Council expressed opposition to a residence that would rename Dayton Street to Troop Way in honor of a local R&B group.

Troop, originally named “Five of A Kind,” was formed in Pasadena in 1984 and had three number one hits.

Despite the opposition, local residents said they do not oppose honoring the group, but urged the City Council to preserve Dayton Street.

“Our homegrown R&B phenom Troop should be recognized but not with renaming Dayton next to a historical landmark. Let’s find another location that suits the fans and the Castle Green historical interests,” said Tom McGovern.

The plan to change the street name to honor the group has faced opposition from the Castle Green Homeowners Association, among others, which argued that Dayton Street’s historic significance should be preserved.

In a letter addressed to the City Council, the Castle Green Homeowners Association emphasized the importance of Dayton Street as part of the historic landmark block that includes Castle Green and Hotel Green and its inclusion in the historic Old Pasadena landmark area.

Dayton Street is also home to Pasadena’s first firehouse, first library, and many other historically significant venues over the years, noted the Castle Green Homeowners Association.

The Castle Green Homeowners Association suggested that the City consider alternative ways to honor Troop, such as installing a plaque referencing the part of Pasadena where the group members were born, lived, or created their work.

The HOA also highlighted the City’s Public Monument Policy, which states that such citywide honors should be bestowed posthumously and only after a thorough review of their significance.

“The Castle Green’s constituency has no issue with honoring Troop or anyone else, but the standard to change a street name, particularly one as historic as Dayton, should be very high,” the Homeowners Association wrote in their letter.

The City Council will weigh the concerns raised by the Castle Green Homeowners Association and the significance of honoring Troop’s contributions to the music world and Pasadena’s cultural heritage. The Council also reportedly was set to consider an alternative proposal to rename a portion of Morton Avenue between Hammond Street and Mountain Street to Troop Way, as the group practiced at the nearby Robinson Park Recreation Center for over 30 years.

Members of the group also wrote to the City Council supporting the name change.

“Our roots run deep in Pasadena, a city we’ve always carried in our hearts through every performance and accolade,” said Allen McNeil. “We consider ourselves modern-day Temptations, embodying the spirit and resilience of our hometown. The proposal to rename Dayton Street to Troop Way is more than a tribute to our group; it is a celebration of a shared history and a public acknowledgment of the cultural landmarks that have shaped countless lives, including our own. Troop Way would symbolically link the heart of Old Pasadena with the vibrant memories of Central Park, a site of profound significance to us and many community members.”

According to McNeil members of the group have fed the homeless in Central Park and performed there.

“Renaming the street where the Pasadena Jazz Festival once resonated with music would not only honor our contributions but also preserve the legacy of all artists who have contributed to making Pasadena a cultural beacon in California,” McNeil said.

The City rarely renames streets to honor local residents for commemorative purposes.

In recent years, the City unveiled plaques honoring Eddie Van Halen and former President Barack Obama for the time they lived in Pasadena. There is also a plaque honoring Jackie Robinson on Pepper Street where he lived on when he lived in Pasadena with his family.

The house where Robinson lived was torn down in the 70s. Currently there is talk of fixing that plaque and raising it higher so it can be found easier.

Other events still have not been honored by the City.

Although Martin Luther King Jr. twice spoke at Friendship Baptist Church, also located on Dayton Street, there is no plaque commemorating King’s visit to the church.

Decades ago, street names were changed to honor Jack Parsons the late Chief Executive Officer of Parsons, who died in a plane crash while on a mission with the United States Chamber of Commerce to the Balkans, and renaming a portion of Ramona after the late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.

The La Loma Bridge was also renamed in honor of longtime Pasadena resident and former California State Attorney General John Van de Kamp after his death.