Commemorating Don Canney

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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We're glad to see that Cedar Rapids city leaders are moving promptly to commemorate Don Canney by naming a major public facility in his honor. Last week, a day before Canney's funeral, Mayor Ron Corbett selected Ralph Palmer, president of the

Ar-Jay Center, to head up a resident committee to discuss and make a recommendation on the naming.

Canney's impact on our community was exceptional before, during and beyond his term as mayor from 1969-1982. His legacy, as we have noted, will have a lasting effect well into the future of our community and region.

Canney, who died March 20, was a driving force in so many public projects that it's difficult to single out one for commemoration. Among those we suggest are structures that will likely be with us a long time, though updates and improvements are bound to be made:

l Edgewood Road bridge over Cedar River: Dubbed by critics as the “bridge to nowhere,” its opening in 1970 played a big role in opening the city's west side to development.

l The Eastern Iowa Airport expansion, with a new terminal that opened in 1986: The modern facility serving business and other travelers continues to develop as an important hub for Eastern Iowa.

l The I-380 freeway (including the 5-in-1 of twin bridges and dam) through Cedar Rapids: part of the Avenue of the Saints roadway from St. Louis to St. Paul, Minn., that has greatly reduced travel time and added to commerce in our city and state. Canney worked with two Waterloo mayors and others to help bring this project to fruition.

Canney faced plenty of opposition in advocating for these and many other initiatives. Many, for example, doubted that I-380 through Cedar Rapids would ever become a reality. And it did take more than a decade of construction disruption before the stretch through our city was completed.

But Canney had vision, dedication and love for his city and state that many came to appreciate, even if only after projects were completed and well into operation.

Some have suggested naming the old federal courthouse, being converted into the new City Hall, for Canney. Or perhaps the new public library or new central fire station. While we respect the sentiment for all of those, Canney doesn't have direct ties to those post-flood projects.

Whatever the committee recommends and the City Council decides, we simply hope it's a choice that reflects and matches what Canney's work and life meant and will continue to mean to our community.

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