Contest: Name the New Metro Park!

So the Dispatch is running an article today titled, “Name Game a Pain for New Metro Park“.  The article is about how hard it is to name the new park that is under construction on the Whittier Peninsula.  Understandably so, our city leaders were left a bit disappointed after they were asked to pick names from a list that included ”Baja Columbus” and “Quaker Oats Metro Park”.  These gawd awful names got me thinking about the bigger picture of inclusion of citizens in our local government. 

We’ve all read the discussions recently about the lack of inclusion regarding the Attract and Retain Initiative, but I can sort of understand that (our leaders were just looking for some backup in thier support of the streetcars and downtown development).  What I’m having a hard time understanding is, when it comes time to name a park (the ultimate in inclusive public spaces), why don’t our local leaders ask for our opinions?  As a citizen, it’s especially frustrating to hear how much difficulty our leaders are having in coming up with a name.  I hate to hear people complain about how hard something is and never ask for help.

So here it is…the official Name the New Metro Park Contest! 

Do a little reading about the park HERE and HERE, and submit a comment with your proposed name. Here’s a picture to get those creative juices flowing…

 

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

~ by Eric on April 29, 2007.

Posted in Public Projects

13 Responses to “Contest: Name the New Metro Park!”

  1. scioto cap

    ian said this on April 29, 2007 at 9:46 pm

  2. When I look at the other MetroParks, I don’t really get the “wow, that’s a great sounding place, I need to check it out!” The only name that really stands out to me is “Glacier Ridge”, and honestly I thought it was pretty misleading/disappointing.

    Why not just call it “Whittier Peninsula Metro Park”?

    shroud said this on April 30, 2007 at 8:02 am

  3. [...] Cap City Savvy is running a contest to name it. Bookmark | Trackback [...]

    Columbuser.com / Name that park said this on April 30, 2007 at 12:17 pm

  4. The Stephen Colbert Institute for Galactic Peace Park

    pathetic loser said this on April 30, 2007 at 12:37 pm

  5. Shroud,

    I think this snippit from the Dispatch article says why “Whittier Peninsula Metro Park” isn’t going to be used…

    “For starters, the Whittier Street entrance to the park will be relocated and possibly renamed once the park opens. The street was named after John Greenleaf Whittier, a 19th-century U.S. poet and essayist.”

    capcitysavvy said this on April 30, 2007 at 1:00 pm

  6. I think they should call the park, “The Whittier.” Keeping “Whittier” in the name is a nod to the heritage of the land. Adding the article “The” to it connotes that it’s a place to be. Forget about having “park” in the name because this is (or should be) more than a park. It should draw people there to be active and involved. It should sound exciting, which is what a serious downtown park is–EXCITING!!!

    Andrea said this on April 30, 2007 at 1:23 pm

  7. Well, if they want “excitement”, I suppose they could call it PoMA…

    Other buzzwordy options:

    “Experience Columbus Nature”
    “YP MP”
    “Outdoor Involvement For A Greater America Zone”
    “That Green Place That Used To Be Urban Wasteland”

    shroud said this on April 30, 2007 at 3:17 pm

  8. I like Andrea’s idea…very classy.

    I’m thinking something along the lines of Scioto Glades, Scioto Flats, or Scioto Wetlands.

    Something incorporating the views of the skyline would be nice too. Cityscape Metro Park?

    Come on people…we need some more ideas!

    capcitysavvy said this on April 30, 2007 at 8:52 pm

  9. I like the river themes. In addition to the “Scioto” options above, we could try:
    “Riverlands” or
    “Lower Scioto” (relative to the Scioto Mile)

    Then there’s:
    “Central/Downtown MetroPark”
    “Brewery Streamside”
    “Columbus Urban Wildlife Park”
    “Sanctuary MetroPark”
    “Greenmile” (the river frontage looks to be about a mile)

    Maybe the term “EcoPark” or a similar descriptor could apply because of the intent to use the park to naturally filter stormwater from adjacent development.

    ChrisG said this on May 1, 2007 at 10:21 am

  10. I sent this to Metro Parks, but….
    “Packard Park”
    Amazing that there is as yet no park named in honor of Frank Packard, who shaped so much of Columbus’ urban environment….

    Bt8 said this on May 1, 2007 at 9:59 pm

  11. How about “Impound Park”?

    Matt said this on May 3, 2007 at 1:42 am

  12. [...] Well FU, we’re going with insiders. D’oh! Ok, I’m an idiot. The contest was Cap City Savvy’s- not Metro [...]

    Columbuser.com » Committee picks committee-like name for new park said this on July 11, 2007 at 3:49 pm

  13. [...] that Metro Park: Thrilling Finale! So we tried to help out by with the difficulty that Metro Parks was having with coming up with that catchy name for the [...]

    Name that Metro Park: Thrilling Finale! « Cap City Savvy said this on July 11, 2007 at 9:00 pm

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