Title
Agenda Item:
Approval of Alley Names
Body
Issue:
Whether to approve names for 5 downtown alleys.
Committee Recommendation:
General Government Committee and the Heritage Commission recommend naming five alleys in downtown Olympia for ships in the historic Mosquito Fleet.
City Manager's Recommendation:
Move to approve naming five alleys in downtown Olympia for ships in the historic Mosquito Fleet, as recommended by General Government Committee and the Heritage Commission.
Staff Contact:
Jennifer Kenny, Associate Planner, 360.753.8031
Presenter(s):
None. Consent Calendar Item.
Background and Analysis:
In 2011, Council asked the Heritage Commission to recommend names for some or all downtown Olympia alleys with the request that the recommendations would be reviewed by General Government Committee prior to Council action.
Former Commissioner Roger Easton (deceased) suggested naming some of the alleys after the history Mosquito Fleet. Puget Sound's historic Mosquito Fleet consisted of thousands of steamships that traveled from port to port around the sound from the 1850s to the 1930s. They were so numerous that people said they resembled a 'swarm of mosquitoes.' The heyday of the Mosquito Fleet ended in the 1930s when competition with rail and road transportation put the fleet out of business.
Attached is a powerpoint presentation from the August 20, 2013 General Government Committee with background information about each steamship, and a map of the alleys.
The Heritage Commission recommends the following names for five alleys:
- Alley A: SS Eliza Anderson
- Alley B: SS TJ Potter
- Alley C: SS Bailey Gatzert
- Alley D: SS Fleetwood
- Alley E: SS Messenger
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Heritage Commission and staff contacted adjacent property owners/users.
Options:
Approve or do not approve the recommendations.
Financial Impact:
None.