
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, April 15, 1995                   TAG: 9504180057
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

WHAT TO NAME A NEWBORN . . . HUB?

OLD-TIMERS will remember when there wasn't even a traffic light at that spot, just a li'l ol' grocery store, drug store, discount store and bank and, over across the way, a li'l ol' strip mall. Why, traffic was so light back then that drivers could find room between the tailpipe of one vehicle and the bumper of the next to zip through the intersection without a scratch.

Then, back in the winter of '92, they put a light in there.

Now, the folks living and working around the crossroads of Virginia 122 and 616 in Franklin County have gotten the notion that their place has grown up enough to join the big time, to become something - to have a name. And what a rhubarb this has raised!

Not over whether this wide spot in the road deserves an appellation. It is, after all, the commercial hub for nearby Smith Mountain Lake. All agree it should have a name. But what name?

Bodacious Charles Ellis, the county supervisor who will be running for re-election this year in the district wherein this wide spot lies, met with residents living and working within a two-mile radius and took a vote on four proposals: "Lakewood," "Fairway," "Duncan Corners" and "Halesford." "Lakewood" won.

Lake developer Ron Willard balked. He wanted to expand the area covered, and allow more lake residents to vote. He's partial to the name "Lakeville." Says he can see a water tower built near the intersection, with "Lakeville" painted on it. Can't see "Lakewood" on it. Just "Lakeville."

It wasn't a bad idea to cast a wider net. All of the initial proposals except Halesford - taken from nearby Halesford Bridge, where the Hales used to ford the Roanoke River - had the bland, '60s-suburb-ish sound of "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman's" Fernwood. It was not surprising to learn that all except Halesford are names of existing or planned developments.

So a second meeting was held, and more people showed up. They didn't get so far as to take a vote, but came up with all kinds of other suggestions: "Lakecenter" (sounds like a shopping mall); "Smith Mountain Lake" (not to be confused with the lake of the same name); "Smith Mountain Lake Corner,'' and so on, each as bad as or worse than the original proposals, until the whole event got totally out of hand.

Hmmmm. Let's brainstorm a bit. We could break out of the word paradigm altogether, with a name that would speak to future generations about the community's roots in a digital age. Where 122 and 616 come together, why not add them and call the place 738? Nah. Wouldn't fit the little crossroads.

But, of course! This place started as a wide spot in the road, and even now is known as "At the Light." A name that would be as colorfully descriptive as "Burnt Chimney" and tell something of the story of the place is . . . "Wide Spot." If that sounds too plain, how about "Wide Spotte," suggesting the commonwealth's rich colonial history? "Widespotte"? "Wydde Spotte"? That would do for us.

But never mind. Ellis has done what any sensible person would do under the circumstances. He has turned the matter over to a committee. Its odd number of members ensures he won't have to cast a tie-breaking vote.

Some might feel more comfortable had Ellis handed it off to consultants. But consultants would never take on the work for free, the way a committee will. Plus, consultants after they're done would leave town, escaping accountability for the decision.

by CNB