Consider all options to honor King.

Byline: Bob Mylenek, Kelly Harrington and Marl Carter For The Register-Guard

CORRECTION (ran 6/07/03): A guest viewpoint published Friday stated that the Harlow Neighbors had voted to oppose naming Eugene's portion of Centennial Boulevard in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Neither the neighborhood group nor its executive committee has voted on that issue.

Everyone we've talked with supports Eugene taking action to commemorate the life and leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. So do we. But to many people, it feels as if the proposed renaming of Centennial Boulevard happened without much opportunity for public discussion.

It's our understanding that a group worked for two years to identify an appropriate way to recognize King. Yet those of us most directly affected did not know of this group's deliberations until we received a letter from the city in March.

Perhaps that group wasn't aware that Centennial was named in 1959 as part of Oregon's 100th anniversary celebration. The street has historical significance, and many remember the festivities that accompanied its naming. Let's not take away a part of our community's history.

We shouldn't be talking about whether to rename Centennial. That's the wrong question. We should instead be talking about how best to honor King's life and contributions.

We have an opportunity to celebrate King's contributions by engaging the broader community in a thoughtful process to identify the best way to remember a great American leader. In this way, more people will become connected with King and his accomplishments. In this way, we can ensure that the naming is more than a symbolic gesture. In this way, we can recognize King and create a win-win situation.

Several alternatives have been suggested - the Ferry Street Bridge, the new library, the plaza at the new federal courthouse, a new school. Some have suggested naming a new street or renaming Belt Line Road, since there are few addresses on that road. Signage along Interstate 5 would remind thousands of people a day of King's work and legacy. These options deserve consideration.

Both Oregon and Eugene codes stipulate that streets can be renamed only when it "is in the best interests of the city." This is the only criterion that applies. City staff concluded that this test was met because local community leaders and the NAACP recommended renaming Centennial, and the University of Oregon and the Lane County Board of Commissioners supported this recommendation. The Eugene City Council voted to pursue the name change upon receiving the recommendation.

Eugene prides itself on its involved neighborhood groups and tends to give each neighborhood association a strong voice in decisions that affect it. The Harlow Neighbors voted to oppose this name change. The staff's report indicated that the vast majority of written comments from businesses and residents in the area opposed the name change. Eight businesses along Centennial Boulevard oppose it due to increased costs and the confusion the name change would create.

In addition, several government organizations and nonprofit groups have addresses on Centennial. They will have to absorb the costs of changing their addresses and ensure that people coming to their offices are not confused. These entities have not spoken out, largely because they could be perceived as not being politically correct. In some instances, they would be speaking against their employer or a funding source - Lane County, which has endorsed the name change. Opposition also was heard from Northwest Natural Gas due to costs of updating records, including plat maps and customer information databases.

And what about Springfield? That city's council has been clear that renaming the street in its city would cause too much confusion and affect too many people. Springfield would prefer to name the Pioneer Parkway extension Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. This would pose problems for emergency services. The 911 service is not supportive of similar names being used for two different streets within the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area. Springfield was caught by surprise when the proposed renaming was announced. Maybe Eugene should take a broader approach and ask if renaming Centennial is in the best interests of the "larger" community.

Eugene doesn't have to rush into this decision. Eugene can take the time to explore other options. Some have said that naming a street for King is an easy, symbolic gesture. Others note that a street isn't a very fitting tribute to a person of his stature. Perhaps a gathering spot would be better, a place where people come together and get to know one another better. Many of us are intrigued with the suggestion that Eugene's new library be named in King's honor.

There are many opportunities to pay tribute to King. Let's make sure we select one that truly honors one of America's finest citizens and leaders. Let's take the time to do this job right.

Bob Mylenek is the owner of Mercedez-Benz of Eugene. Kelly Harrington manages Chase Village, a 206-unit complex on Centennial Boulevard. Marl Carter is general manager of Staff Jennings Boating Centers.