Antioch Council to consider renaming A Street after city’s first Black resident in the 1800’s instead of Rivertown Drive
During special meeting Tuesday night; also will consider renaming L Street to Veterans Blvd.; when to have the police chief’s 2020 & 2021 annual reports; forming Human Rights and Racial Equity Committee; policy on censuring council members; administrative assistants for council members; three more items – but no votes, just discussions
Thomas Gaines. Source: City of Antioch
By Allen D. Payton
During a special meeting Tuesday night, April 19, 2022, the Antioch City Council will consider renaming A Street to Thomas Gaines Blvd., after the city’s first Black resident in the 1800’s, instead of Rivertown Drive to help promote the historic downtown on the Highway 4 signs. In addition, the council will consider a list of other items for only discussion and direction to staff, each of which would have to be brought back at a future council meeting for vote, except for deciding when to have the police chief’s annual reports for 2020 and 2021. (Please see below)
Rivertown Drive
The city’s 1996 Economic Development Plan included changing G Street to Rivertown Drive for permanent promotion of the city’s historic downtown on the freeway signs, just like renaming the north side of Somersville Road to Auto Center Drive was done to promote the auto dealerships was done for economic development purposes. But when the on-ramps and off-ramps to G Street were removed with the widening of Highway 4 the plan changed to renaming A Street to Rivertown Drive.
Gaines has already been recognized with a day, last year by the city council and with the Thomas Gaines K-8 Virtual Academy by the school board. (See related articles here and here)
Questions for Council, City Staff
The following questions were emailed on Saturday morning to the city council members, interim city manager and Economic Development Director Kwame Reed. However, Reed’s auto response message shows he’s out of the office until Thursday, April 21.
“While naming a street after Thomas Gaines, the city’s first Black resident, is nice, how will renaming A Street accomplish the economic development goal of permanently promoting Rivertown on Hwy 4?”
District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker was asked, “how will that benefit one of the business areas in your district?”
District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson was reminded and asked, “the last time this came before the council you said you wanted to survey the residents, first to get their input about renaming A Street. Was that done?”
Additional questions were asked of all seven including, “Has a survey been done of the business and property owners along A Street and in Rivertown to get their input? As someone has suggested, might you instead consider renaming the west side of Laurel Road to Thomas Gaines Blvd. as it’s about to open and connect to Hillcrest and still rename A Street to Rivertown Drive as planned?”
Only Ogorchock Responds
District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock was the only one to respond writing, “I do not know of any surveys that were completed focusing the changing of the name of A St., and or any other street.”
“As to the area west of Laurel, not sure that is befitting,” she continued. “Maybe when and if there is development downtown we should consider naming a street after him or possibly the ‘lot’ if it is ever truly being looked at as a park. There are a lot of ideas that could work, but all should be in the downtown area.” Ogorchock was referring to the former Antioch Lumber Company lot between W. 2nd, W. 3rd and E Streets where the Rivertown Square park and event center has been proposed.
Agenda Items
- CITY OF ANTIOCH HUMAN RIGHTS AND RACIAL EQUITY COMMITTEE
- EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER (EOC) TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES
- POLICE CHIEF’S REPORT ON 2020 AND 2021 CRIME AND ANTIOCH POLICE DEPARTMENT UPDATE
- CREATION OF A BEACH PARK FROM RIVERVIEW LODGE TO THE MARINA (Note: The restaurant, open since November, is now known as Monica’s Riverview).
- YOUTH APPRECIATION DAY
- VETERANS’ BOULEVARD COMMUNITY PROJECT/ L STREET RENAMING PRESENTATION
- NAMING OF NEW STREETS IN DEVELOPMENTS AND NAMING A STREET THOMAS GAINES BOULEVARD
- POLICY ON CENSURE OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS (TO INCLUDE REMOVAL FROM COMMISSIONS)
- ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Viewing Meeting & Public Comments
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