Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Council Considers Street Name Change
PRAIRIE GROVE — After receiving a request about the possibility of renaming a street in Prairie Grove, Mayor Sonny Hudson asked City Council members to think about whether the city should establish a procedure for such a change.
Hudson said two people approached him about renaming Bush Street after Prairie Grove coach and athletic director Mike Green. Green, who died in August 2014, spent more than 30 years with the Prairie Grove School District. In December, Green was honored posthumously as the first and only inductee for 2015 for the new Tiger Hall of Pride.
“They said we want to change the name. What do we need to do?” Hudson said. He told them he would look into it. Hudson said Bernice Headrick initially called him about the idea and her nephew, Josh Smith, who played basketball for Green, also asked about renaming the street.
Hudson brought up the request at the City Council’s December meeting, pointing out the city does not have a “good way of going about this.”
No decisions were made but City Council members had several questions about the request.
“An option is can we just disallow it?” asked Alderman Dale Reed. “I just think of the people who would have to change their address.”
Reed added, though, he believes people should have the right to request a name change but wondered if the city should require a certain percentage of the people living on a street to agree to it before proceeding. About 35 houses are along Bush Street from the intersection of Douglas and Bush streets to past Prairie Grove High School.
J.C. Dobbs, Prairie Grove’s fire chief, lives on Bush Street. He told the Council, “I don’t want it changed.
I just see it as a problem all together affecting everything.”
Dobbs noted that changing a street’s name could affect emergency personnel responding to a call on the street.
Headrick, who worked as a waitress at Colonial Court Cafe for 29 years, last week said renaming Bush Street to Coach Green Drive or Coach Green Street would be a fitting tribute.
“We feel he should be honored because he was such a great coach and changed a lot of kids’ lives,” Headrick said.
She said she realizes people may not want to have their home address changed but hopes no one will be against the idea.
Headrick said she and her nephew think Bush Street would be appropriate because it runs next to the high school and the basketball arena, and because their research has not found a reason for why the street was named Bush.
By renaming Bush Street after Green, visitors coming to the high school for the first time could be told to “turn onto Coach Green Drive and it will take you right to the high school,” Headrick said.
Last week, Hudson said he had not heard any feedback from Council members. He said aldermen would have to decide if they want to allow it and if so, what guidelines should be in place.
The discussion will probably continue at the January meeting, Hudson said.