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Should city government be allowed to rename streets? Under what circumstances? They're discussing the topic and new rules.
Columbus Underground Messageboard » General Columbus Discussion » Q&A
Should city government be allowed to rename streets?
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Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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Honestly, I had never given it much thought until I read this story (below) in the Dispatch and now I'm not sure. I guess it depends upon the history behind the existing streetname and the nature of the new street renaming. I can't say I'm a fan of full name streets such as the proposed "Harold M. Cooper Lane". Just last names are fine like "Cooper Lane".
The Dispatch wrote
Council to reconsider renaming streetThursday, January 17, 2008 3:29 AM
BY ROBERT VITALE
A standard-issue green street sign marks Brodbelt Lane -- an unexceptional stretch of road between Nationwide Arena and some CSX railroad tracks.
Arena District parking lots line much of the street.
But in the life of 80-year-old Norma Harris -- Norma Jean Brodbelt Harris -- the street stands out as prominently as the corner of Broad and High.
It's her great-grandfather's name up there on Brodbelt Lane, and the 1,000-foot-long street winds through generations of history for both her family and Columbus.
That history, unknown to city officials until last month, has caused the City Council to reconsider a plan to rename the street Harold M. Cooper Lane after the former Franklin County commissioner.
Brodbelt Lane didn't hold much meaning -- it wasn't even spelled right on some maps -- until the descendants of Dr. James Lee Brodbelt came forward to tell his story.
Posted 4 years ago # -
lifeliberty
Here
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keep the names the same.
everyone says columbus has no history, no soul, and that is why people are always saying cols is like this (greater)city or that (greater city)city, but not vise versus.
it's because everything seems to be torn down for the new and history is erased.
cols is what it is, but as long as history is erased, the growth of the soul is stiffled.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Cyclist
Peach District (State of Mind)
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Well, generally through most street names, of side streets, are named by the developer of the time (and currently too) OR who or what may have been on that street before it got an official name.
For instance, Lincoln St. in the SN was once called University St. because Capital University was at the end of it in current Goodale Park.
Kelton Ave is named after the Kelton Farm that once was where Kelton Ave is today.
Say Ave. in IV is named after the Say Brewery that once stood there.
Nelson Road is named after Nelson's Mill that once stood near present day Long and Nelson.
Niel Ave and Collins St ate named after the lanmd owners and subsequent developers of current day VV.
But Street names do Change:
High St is named so because it sits on the Wolf Ridge at a high point, but that was not the name until 1849 when the city offically called it High St, is was originally called Worhington Pike I believe.
5th Ave was once called Montgomery Road because it sat on the border line of Montgomery Township .
Cleveland Ave was called Harbor Road because it went to Cleveland and its harbor.
Detroit Ave was called Booth St.
Parsons was Eastern Lane, and N. 4th was Eastern Row
Livingston was South Lane
E. Main was Friends St
Some names change because of historical incidents like German Village streets getting Anglicized (English, I can not spell) names during WWI. Or to honor important figure in the cities history like Joel Buttles, Lynn Starling, Lincoln Goodale, and John Keer- these men were all large land owners and developers who made took thier larger land tracts and subdivided them into lots to sell. Or people like Woody Hayes or Lucus Sullivant (Woody Hayes was not a developer but Sullivant sure as hell was, he also built the first bridge over the Scioto and charged a toll to cross it).
Some streets have corporate names like Nationwide Blvd since I am sure Nationwide paid for some improvemts to that street. Or John H McConnell St. But really Goodale, Buttles, or Sullivant or Niel are corporate names too since the roasds were named after the men who developed and profited each respective area.
There are some places with themes like the little neighborhood near Cooper Stadium in Franklinton with presidential names, or the neighborhood between Minerva Park and Westerville with Latin American national Capital names!
Or Berwick Blvd. being the main street through Berwick
Then there just stupid things like Commit to be Fit St(?) in front of City Hall.
Well I could go on and on.
Well, I think they should keep the name Brodbelt St. Doesn't Mr. Cooper already have a stadium named after him?
Posted 4 years ago # -
gramarye
In Exile
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This thread seems to have morphed from "should City Council have the power to rename streets" to "we all know City Council has the power to rename streets, but good grief, they're lousy at it."
I think they should either have street naming contests or just auction the street naming rights on eBay.
(The sad thing is, I'm only half joking.)
Posted 4 years ago # -
Cyclist
Peach District (State of Mind)
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I think we are jumping to conclusions about the greatness of Walker and Mike. I like thier work and take advantage of it regularly, but they have not earned a street like Mr. Cooper has.
There is a Reed Rd. in UA and a Walker Alley in Westerville already.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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Does this mean the street name isn't changing?
The Dispatch wrote
City baseball standout honored with a statueFriday, May 30, 2008
BY JIM MASSIE
Harold Cooper was watching a Clippers baseball game yesterday afternoon in the stadium that bears his name when an unexpected ceremony wrested his attention away from the balls and strikes.
Franklin County Commissioners Marilyn Brown and Paula Brooks and City Auditor Hugh J. Dorrian helped Clippers General Manager Ken Schnacke surprise Cooper with news that a bronze statue of him will greet fans next season at the main entrance of the new Huntington Park in the Arena District.
The sculptor, Alan Hamwi of Upper Arlington, showed Cooper a miniature version of the statue.
"The title is The Father of Columbus Baseball," Schnacke said. "You really are the father of Columbus baseball."
Posted 3 years ago #
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