Council Votes to Rename Washington Blvd.

[leland_palmer]

At todays meeting a motion was approved to give Washington Blvd. a secondary name. It will be named John Conyers Blvd in honor of his upcoming birthday.

Sheila Cockrel voted against it as she is opposed to secondary street names. JoAnn Watson half seriously said that they should make it the primary name then. She mentioned that a group was looking into renaming Cass Tech, and that they should rename Washington Blvd. & Jefferson Ave as well since they were named after European slaveholders.

While talking about some celebration scheduled in the former Harmonie Park district, she demonstrated that she is still obsessed with calling "Paradise Valley" Africa Town. She noted that there is a Greektown, Mexican Town, Asian Town [[that's closed honey) etc, but they can't call it African Town b/c they would get sued.

[French777]

Rename Jefferson Ave - Lakeshore Drive is anything

[HazenPingree]

Let's rename Woodward, Fort, and Cass while we're at it. Why have ANY historic street names?

WE NEED A NEW COUNCIL NOW!

please support a city council elected by district.

[spiritofdetroit]

let me guess, Monica thought of this? What a waste of time.

[raptor56]

So is Mon Con giving up on renaming the Det\Winds Tunnel in honor of the "Great" Job Conyers?

[Hypestyles]

the naming of streets is a tertiary concern to me.. fix the neighborhoods.. fix police/fire response.. destroy the derelict buildings.. overhaul the public schools..

[firstandten]

Sheila Cockrel voted against it as she is opposed to secondary street names. JoAnn Watson half seriously said that they should make it the primary name then. She mentioned that a group was looking into renaming Cass Tech, and that they should rename Washington Blvd. & Jefferson Ave as well since they were named after European slaveholders..

LOL I'm glad Ms Watson was half serious when she said a group wanted to re-name Cass Tech. If that comes up think Cobo hall mess times 10

[dtowncitylover]

As long as "Washington Blvd." is the primary name of the street and will remain as a mailing address street, I think it's fine. Let's face it, no one is going to start calling it "Conyers Blvd." tomorrow, or even be signed as such just yet.

[firstandten]

As long as "Washington Blvd." is the primary name of the street and will remain as a mailing address street, I think it's fine. Let's face it, no one is going to start calling it "Conyers Blvd." tomorrow, or even be signed as such just yet.

Could someone explain why someone would be against a secondary street name. It is basically just a ceremonial street name and shouldn't have any post office implications. I believe that even now its done quite often.

[Bearinabox]

Could someone explain why someone would be against a secondary street name. It is basically just a ceremonial street name and shouldn't have any post office implications. I believe that even now its done quite often.

1. The city council spent time debating this resolution. We're paying them to do that.
2. DPW, or someone they hire, is going to spend time manufacturing and installing the secondary signs. We're paying for that too.
3. We're currently running a $300,000,000 deficit. Perhaps we should be cutting back on frivolous expenses that have no effect whatsoever on our quality of life.
4. There are a lot of intersections around the city that currently don't have street signs. Shouldn't we think about replacing those before we go around adding redundant signs to streets that already have them?
5. Assuming that a street is going to be renamed, is John Conyers, on the grounds that he is now a year older, really the individual most deserving of such an honor? I had a birthday this year too. It's not that impressive. Most people stop making a big deal out of them around the age of ten or eleven.

Sure, it's a relatively harmless bit of frivolity, but it gives the impression that our leaders either haven't noticed that our city is circling the drain, or that they've simply chosen not to give a shit. Definitely grounds for replacing them, in my book.

[firstandten]

1. The city council spent time debating this resolution. We're paying them to do that.
2. DPW, or someone they hire, is going to spend time manufacturing and installing the secondary signs. We're paying for that too.
3. We're currently running a $3,000,000 deficit. Perhaps we should be cutting back on frivolous expenses that have no effect whatsoever on our quality of life.
4. There are a lot of intersections around the city that currently don't have street signs. Shouldn't we think about replacing those before we go around adding redundant signs to streets that already have them?
5. Assuming that a street is going to be renamed, is John Conyers, on the grounds that he is now a year older, really the individual most deserving of such an honor? I had a birthday this year too. It's not that impressive. Most people stop making a big deal out of them around the age of ten or eleven.

Sure, it's a relatively harmless bit of frivolity, but it gives the impression that our leaders either haven't noticed that our city is circling the drain, or that they've simply chosen not to give a shit. Definitely grounds for replacing them, in my book.

great points perhaps times are a bit too hard to have those types of discussions.

[Oldertimer]

excuse me!!!! I do not get it. Detroit was founed by the French. The names are French. French is the historical background All of a sudden some one wants to change everything to an African heritage background. That doesn NOT make sense. History is history. Detroit is a French history not a "black" or African history. Keep the city an American city with its French history. To do otherwise breaks the history or the area. Blacks are now in control of the city and govt but that does NOT change the history. Let history be history. And NO one in Detroit had slaves. The citizens of detroit fought inthe war to end slavery. SO so don't make an issue where there is none. Let it go. Detroit is French by heritage. Let French be. Don't make an issue where there is NO issue.

[Johnlodge]

1. The city council spent time debating this resolution. We're paying them to do that.
2. DPW, or someone they hire, is going to spend time manufacturing and installing the secondary signs. We're paying for that too.
3. We're currently running a $300,000,000 deficit. Perhaps we should be cutting back on frivolous expenses that have no effect whatsoever on our quality of life.
4. There are a lot of intersections around the city that currently don't have street signs. Shouldn't we think about replacing those before we go around adding redundant signs to streets that already have them?
5. Assuming that a street is going to be renamed, is John Conyers, on the grounds that he is now a year older, really the individual most deserving of such an honor? I had a birthday this year too. It's not that impressive. Most people stop making a big deal out of them around the age of ten or eleven.

Others put on their tiaras and party dresses!

[rjlj]

The problem with this issue is that the council does NOTHING. Please see Hypestyles response as to what really needs to happen in this city. Between now and the election only expect the council to draw attention to themselves so that it makes it look like they actually do work, i.e. renaming streets, demo of the Train Station, COBO, etc.. Wake up!

[buildingsofdetroit]

At todays meeting a motion was approved to give Washington Blvd. a secondary name. It will be named John Conyers Blvd in honor of his upcoming birthday.

Sheila Cockrel voted against it as she is opposed to secondary street names. JoAnn Watson half seriously said that they should make it the primary name then. She mentioned that a group was looking into renaming Cass Tech, and that they should rename Washington Blvd. & Jefferson Ave as well since they were named after European slaveholders.

While talking about some celebration scheduled in the former Harmonie Park district, she demonstrated that she is still obsessed with calling "Paradise Valley" Africa Town. She noted that there is a Greektown, Mexican Town, Asian Town [[that's closed honey) etc, but they can't call it African Town b/c they would get sued.

There a news story on this anywhere? I don't see it on the Freep or News.

[leland_palmer]

There a news story on this anywhere? I don't see it on the Freep or News.

It was during the live Council meeting.

I guess I never gave much thought to the name behind Jefferson Ave.. Maybe, we should rename it George Jefferson Ave. and make everyone happy.

[Jimaz]

I can hear it now. "It's where Charles de Gaulle intersects Bridgett Bardot."

[3WC]

Good one, Leland_Palmer. [[GEORGE Jefferson...)

The way to get Mon Conyers to withdraw her objections to the Cobo deal is to agree to rename it "John Conyers Convention Center." If that doesn;'t work, agree to name it after her.

[leland_palmer]

There a news story on this anywhere? I don't see it on the Freep or News.

The Detroit News finally caught up with me.
http://detroitnews.com/article/20090...s+honor+May+16

[rondinjp]

Off topic question. How does City Council get anything done with all the praying that goes on during the session?

[Retroit]

[[sarcasm alert!)

**** THIS JUST IN ****

In the latest attempt by the Detroit Shitty Clown Show to unleash the city from the oppression of the white man, they have decided to change the name of the city. After all, every black person knows that the French were just a bunch of basic white people who conspired with the amerikkkans to create a white supremacist country. From now on Detroit will be known as Da Peeps Repubic of Monica.

[buildingsofdetroit]

At todays meeting a motion was approved to give Washington Blvd. a secondary name. It will be named John Conyers Blvd in honor of his upcoming birthday.

Sheila Cockrel voted against it as she is opposed to secondary street names. JoAnn Watson half seriously said that they should make it the primary name then. She mentioned that a group was looking into renaming Cass Tech, and that they should rename Washington Blvd. & Jefferson Ave as well since they were named after European slaveholders.

While talking about some celebration scheduled in the former Harmonie Park district, she demonstrated that she is still obsessed with calling "Paradise Valley" Africa Town. She noted that there is a Greektown, Mexican Town, Asian Town [[that's closed honey) etc, but they can't call it African Town b/c they would get sued.

Ahh, OK, it's for only one day. Phew!

[Prodigal_Son]

I think we should rename the Woodward bridge over 8-Mile the "Monica Conyers Bridge". Then we could tax everyone who enters the city on the bridge, to show how hospitable we are to visitors.

Onward, Christian Soldiers!

[Detroitej72]

Ahh, OK, it's for only one day. Phew!

Wow, glad to see the clowncil tackling important business. That sure helps the folks in the neighborhoods now doesn't it?

What a waste of time. Although, I suppose I'd rather see them doing this as oppose to f@#king up more things. Too bad they weren't doing this instead of messing up the Cobo deal.

[TWDPres]

obviously, keeping a street named after him, is an endorsement of him having slaves.

I wonder how many citizens this actually offends, my guess is about 2. Luckily they both happen to be on city council.