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COLUMBIA — The Mizzou Alumni Association renamed Maryland Avenue on Friday while celebrating its Leaders Day and the start of Leaders Weekend.
Mayor Bob McDavid, alumni association President Randy Wright, alumni association student board President Justin Yeater and 150 MU alumni were in attendance.
- At Tuesday's meeting, the City Council unanimously voted in favor of renaming Maryland Avenue to Tiger Avenue at MU. According to University Affairs director Ana Romero, the change is considered beneficial because now the main thoroughfare on campus will reflect school spirit.
- Clockwise from front: Chamber of Commerce ambassadors Darlene Johnson, Chris Rosskopf and Les Borgmeyer react during a speech at the ceremony.
Some MU students and Columbia residents have expressed disapproval of the name change because of the perceived historical value of Maryland Avenue.
Wright said the name “Maryland Avenue” was originally suggested by an MU professor in 1904 but bears no other historical significance.
The street’s name change was based on more than school spirit, Wright said. He said the name “Tiger” was adopted during the Civil War by a unit of armed guards from Columbia.
“It’s more important to the city than Mizzou,” Wright said.
McDavid thanked those who disapprove of the name change in his brief speech. He said he thought the renaming took place in the right location.
“It only makes sense to name it Tiger Avenue,” McDavid said. “It’s the entrance to our campus and the entrance to our city.”
In spite of some opposition to the street’s new name, event attendees appeared enthusiastic and pleased. Band music played and cheerleaders chanted as Truman the Tiger surprised the audience by arriving in a convertible and placing the new street sign on a stage.
“I think it’s great,” said 2000 MU alumna Casey Gentry of the street name change. “It has more meaning and more significance to the university and city.”
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Comments
As an alumnus and big fan I still think this is silly and "Tiger Avenue" is about as creative as "College" and "University." I could appreciate this a bit more if they had actually put some thought into it and named it after a historical figure to Columbia, the school or Missouri.
While we're at it, can we rename College and University?
If this is such a good idea, and I'm not suggesting that it isn't a good idea, WHY WASN'T IT TAKEN CARE OF YEARS AGO?
There's a betting pool at the Kansas City, Rolla and St. Louis campuses on how long it will be before the new street signs disappear. Hours? Days? Weeks?