Georgia Not on My Mind
There are days when I am reminded I am not from here. The people who opposed daylight savings time, defended township government, etc. Now it’s all about Georgia Street. As you probably know the city is looking at changing the name of Georgia Street in time for the Super Bowl, more importantly it’s spending more than $12 million to revamp the street that lies between Conseco Fieldhouse and the Convention Center.
The city is holding a contest to decide what new name the street should be given if changed. That has prompted quite the outcry. City-County Councilor Angela Mansfield has filed a resolution with the Council calling on the Mayor to stop changing the name; apparently there was no proposed smoking ban for Angela to get excited over. A group has started a Facebook page claiming 800 members (out of a city of more than 800,000) and an on-line petition drive has begun as well.
To be frank, I don’t care. I take that back, I care more about business that is disrupted on Georgia Street due to needed construction than I do about the name of the street. I have been pelted with every name in the book for my opinion, heartless, uncaring, carpetbagger, etc. Frankly, I am amazed these many people can get excited over the name of a street, but no one shows up to city hall when the public has the opportunity to comment on the budget. I’m sorry, six members of the public showed up to testify, my bad.
If people can get this excited over a street name, just imagine what they could do if they decided to actually put that energy to productive use. Mansfield told WISH-TV Channel 8, that Georgia street has had its name since 1821 and it’s disrespectful to change it. You know, there are a lot of things we used to have back in 1821 that don’t exist anymore. (No, I am not going to use the reference that some of you think I will). Downtown Indianapolis used to be all cobblestones and horse and buggies. Those are no longer our primary sources of transportation. If anything they are friendly reminders of an era long gone.
I don’t think changing the name of Georgia Street is going to mean the end of the world. However if it makes people feel better, here’s a compromise. Keep the name “Georgia” Street, but for a month before the Super Bowl make it “Champion Lane”. And then when the Super Bowl is over, keep both names, like as is done on streets and roads that have official names and honorary names. That should take care of this problem. By the way, if this is the biggest thing that people have to complain about, then Indianapolis is in a lot better shape than a lot of us ever thought it could be.
