National Czech & Slovak Museum asks for name change to nearby street

CEDAR RAPIDS - The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is asking the City Council to change the name of a one-block stretch of A Street SW outside the museum to Inspiration Place SW.

The City Council held a public hearing last night on the name-change request and then referred the request to the city's City Project Review Group with a plan to vote on the matter in December.

Diana Baculis, director of marketing and communications at the museum, on Tuesday said the museum held a street-naming contest back in August and received more than 100 entries.

The winners of the contest, Julie Cross of Swisher and Josh Hlibichuk of Cedar Rapids, both submitted a street name with the word "Inspiration" in it. One suggested Inspiration Boulevard, the other Inspiration Street, and a museum committee subsequently decided on Inspiration Place SW, Baculis said.

Name changes in contention for the block of A Street SW between 15th and 16th avenues SW were Heritage Way, Heritage Lane, Epic Point and Rise Above Road among others.

City Council member Monica Vernon said last night she wanted to know what the proposed new street name would sound like in Czech and Slovak.

The renovated, elevated and expanded museum is slated to open in the summer of 2012.