The Binghamton Fire Department is looking to rename a local park to memorialize a Binghamton firefighter who died in the line of duty.
In a joint statement released on Jan. 23, City of Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham, Binghamton Fire Chief Alan G. Gardiner and Professional Firefighters Association President David J. Holleran announced that a new piece of legislation will be introduced to rename West End Park in honor of John “JR” Gaudet who was killed while fighting a major blaze on Main Street on Feb 12, 2025.
The park had “special meaning” to Gaudet, who grew up practicing lacrosse there and later spent time at the park playing with his three kids, according to the statement.
“JR loved this community and left behind an incredible legacy of service,” the statement reads. “Binghamton will always remember him as a hero who dedicated his life to helping others and making our City a better place. As we approach the one-year anniversary of his death, renaming one of the West Side’s popular green spaces ‘JR Gaudet Memorial Park’ will help ensure JR’s legacy lives on for decades to come.”
The statement also thanks the Gaudet family, who “provided invaluable guidance on a fitting tribute.”
Gaudet, 40, died when a wall collapsed at the scene of a fire at 1 and 3 Main St. in Binghamton. His death marked the first line-of-duty death in Binghamton since 2013, and the first in New York in 2025.
Gaudet grew up in Binghamton and attended Binghamton High School before continuing his education at Binghamton University and SUNY Cortland.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Binghamton mayor, fire chief look to rename park in honor of JR Gaudet
Reporting by Jillian McCarthy, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
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