CLEVELAND — All week long, we've celebrated our very own Leon Bibb and his milestone of achieving 50 years in television.
On Friday, the occasion was commemorated with a proclamation from current Mayor of Cleveland, Frank Jackson, renaming Parkgate Avenue in Cleveland to Leon Bibb Way!
Bibb grew up on the street, spending nearly two decades of his life there.
Read a transcript from the moment with Cleveland City Councilman Kevin Conwell and "What's New" Anchor, Jay Crawford below.
Jay Crawford: As most of you this week is a very big week here for us on Channel 3, because Leon Bibb is celebrating 15 years in television, and we have a surprise for the ultimate storyteller Leon, come on in.
Let me explain what we're doing. City Councilman, Kevin Conwell is here, Leon, and we've been celebrating you all week long. We wanted to cap it with an exclamation point and the Councilman is here to do that now.
Councilman Conwell:
My fellow Glenville Tarblooder. right. I was on your street today. Your street today. I was on your street.
Leon Bibb: My street? Parkgate?
Councilman Conwell: So, we are going to name if after you. The City of Cleveland, from East 99th street to East 150th street, Leon Bibb Way!
Jay Crawford: It's now your street. What do you think of that? That's the ultimate. That's the ultimate way to pay homage to you.
Leon Bibb: For 17 years, that's where I grew up. From kindergarten before kindergarten all the way until I went to college, we lived on that street. My parents bought that house and we lived on that street.
Councilman Cronwell: Here's the proclamation from Mayor Frank Jackson. I Frank G. Jackson, the 56th Mayor of the City of Cleveland, here offer this proclamation and recognition to you Leon for 50 distinguished years in television.
Leon Bibb: I never expected anything like this. You know, people say, "how did you last 50 years?" And I say, one day at a time.
Jay Crawford:
Leon. Thank you again, Councilman. Thanks very much. We appreciate it.