Today's column -- no consensus on Trashmore names

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Thoughtful and clever readers have spoken on the issue of what to name Mount Trashmore, once local leaders transform the old landfill into a recreation destination.[/naviga:font][naviga:font size="3"]Trouble is, those readers did not speak in one voice.

I received a tall stack of proposed names by e-mail and phone last week. Every one of them was different.  And nobody endorsed my brilliant, vitamin-fortified "Mount Crunch Berry" idea.

Too bad.

Trashmore is back in the news after an expedition led by City Council members Tom Podzimek and Pat Shey skied its slopes two weekends ago.

The stunt revived hopes that the site could someday play host to the Winter Olympics. Maybe not.

It was also a reminder that the name Trashmore gives some of our leading residents fits. I happen to think it's OK - it's long-lived, snarky and appropriate - but I thought we should have some backup ideas just in case this name-change thing gets serious.

A few called to say that you also like Mount Trashmore as is. But many more submitted new names.

A few went with humor or sharp satire.

"It should have the distinguished name of ‘Mt. Consultant' since that is all our so-called leaders have to offer our city anymore," Doug Conklin wrote in a short but loaded e-mail.

Jeff Frese of Ely, a lifelong area resident, suggested the alluring "Mount Trazimore. ... It combines a tonguein-cheek reference to the local vernacular with the sound of a quaint little European ski resort," Frese wrote.

It was Jo Ann Ferguson, a volunteer at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, who came up with "Krasna Hora," or "Beautiful Mountain" in Czech. Podzimek mentioned her idea during his day on the slopes.

"I think folks down in the Czech area, they put up with a lot of crap," Ferguson said, pointing to the smell and truck traffic the landfill inflicted on the nearby Czech Village. "When you look at the hill, it's beautiful."

But Jay Kacena of Marion suggested a hybrid based on Ferguson's idea - "Trashma Hora." "You can have your Trashmore and a tip of the hat to its Czech location," Kacena said.

Stephen Eckert of Cedar Rapids also tried to put a new, positive spin on the old name with "Mountrash More." Others tried to get away from the trash entirely.

Dallas Bolender suggested "Treasure Mountain... How does that old saying go, something like ‘One man's junk is another man's treasure?' " Bolender wrote.

A few looked to history - "Mount Sinclair" and "Stumptown Quarry Mountain" were nominated. Others want to keep it simple, including "Rapids Hill," "Mount Cedarview" and "Mount Viewpoint." One caller suggested "Mount Spirit," to commemorate all the animals buried in the landfill over the years.

Another left the name "Quackers Hill" on my voice mail, arguing that the name issue is driving everyone "quackers." Hey, I tell the bad jokes around here.

I'm still taking nominations and will post them at my 24-Hour Dorman blog.

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