For three years, the community pavilion on the corner of Bramlett Boulevard and University Avenue has hosted a slew of events; however, no one knew what to call it.

The pavilion is located where the old National Guard Armory once stood. For years, even after the National Guard moved to its current location next to the Oxford Conference Center on Sisk Avenue, it was still called “the armory” by most Oxonians.

On Monday, the Oxford Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to grant the pavilion a formal, official name – one that will be easy for citizens to remember.

The new name is “Old Armory Pavilion.”

“That space serves us well as it is today,” said Mayor Robyn Tannehill. “But it might not always be what it is today. I wouldn’t want to name it after a person, and then one day it’s torn down to become something else.”

With the opening of the University of Mississippi’s multi-purpose arena named The Pavilion at Ole Miss, Tannehill said there was often confusion about where some events were being held.

“It’s what everyone calls it anyway,” she said Monday during a public work session.

Alderman John Morgan suggested calling it, “The Oak Tree Pavilion,” named after the large oak tree on the south-side of the property.

However, some of the aldermen pointed out the tree will not be there forever and voted in favor of Tannehill’s suggested name.

After the pavilion was built in 2015, the aldermen appointed the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council to manage the rentals and events held at the pavilion, which has been marketing the structure as @thearmory.

The Arts Council uses the pavilion to host outdoor events and to partner with local community groups who want to use the space. The pavilion is also available for private rentals, like weddings or birthday parties.

“I think having a settled name will help us enhance the marketing of the space,” said YAC director Wayne Andrews on Monday.

The idea for the pavilion came during the demolition of the previous armory building in early 2015.

Public Works Director Bart Robinson was driving by the building and noticed the remaining roof and support columns looked like a pavilion and presented the idea to the Board of Aldermen to spend about $50,000 to turn the remaining shell of the armory into a pavilion.