River otter is Cedar Rapids Parks & Rec Department's new mascot

In the aftermath of the city's historic 2008 flood, the city will have a new outdoor riverfront amphitheater, additional park land along the river and, hopefully, a new flood-protection system one day.

As a result, the city's Parks and Recreation Department has acquired a new mascot - the river otter - and has a costume already in hand to help entertain children at events in the city's parks system.

Still unresolved, though, is the mascot's new name.

City parks officials have been asking for name suggestions for some time, and the front-running mascot names, to date, are Ollie, Oscar, Ozzie and Otto.

On Dec. 8, at the city's Resident Appreciation Night in the Lindale Mall food court, residents will have a last chance to weigh in on the mascot's name, reports Gail Loskill, spokeswoman for the city's Parks and Recreation Department. The event runs from 4 to 8 p.m.

The city will reveal the winning name the week of Dec. 12, Loskill says.