When Sherbourne Park opens this summer, it really will be a park for the people.

The city, together with Waterfront Toronto, has launched an online contest to rename the park, temporarily called Sherbourne because of its proximity to the downtown street.

“I think a park needs a better name than just its location,” says Toronto Centre-Rosedale Councillor Pam McConnell (Ward 28.) “It has to have some meaning or commemorate some great Torontonian.”

The park, which is on the waterfront at the bottom of Sherbourne St., was designed by Vancouver firm Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg and is unique in that it combines decorative elements with a below-ground water filtration system.

The competition, in conjunction with torontoist.com , will be conducted in three phases.

Until May 14 the public can visit the website and submit a name along with some personal contact information and the reasons for their choice.

A jury of six, which includes McConnell, will meet mid-May to shorten the submission list to between eight and 10 names.

That list will be posted on the torontoist.com site from May 31 to June 7, when the public will be invited to rank the entries.

The top three names will make it into the second and final round of online voting, which takes place June 8-14. The winner will attend the opening ceremonies this summer.

“These are fun times, when people get to write history and decide the future,” says McConnell. “I’m happy we’re throwing it out to Torontonians.”

The contest has few naming conventions, but city rules stipulate the park cannot carry the name of a corporation.

As well, city parks and recreation staff will double-check the shortlist to ensure there is no duplication with existing parks and that the name is different enough to eliminate confusion for emergency services.

Watch the Star’s Chris Hume as he leads a tour of the Sherbourne park site at thestar.com.