THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 19, 1996 TAG: 9610190274
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY CATHERINE KOZAK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: 36 lines
After months of mulling over a list of 119 suggestions, a commission has culled its favorite name for the proposed historical attraction on Ice Plant Island: Roanoke Island Festival Park.
But that doesn't mean the new name is a go. After the votes were tabulated at its annual meeting Friday, the Roanoke Island Commission will send the recommendation to North Carolina Secretary of Cultural Resources Betty McCain for her blessing.
``I see no reason she won't approve it,'' commission spokeswoman Catherine Milford said, adding she expects to hear ``something positive'' within a week. ``Then we can start marketing.''
After the name ``New World Park'' - the brainchild of the commission's marketing consultant - was criticized by some as ``derogatory to aboriginal people'' and ``confusing to visitors,'' the commission decided to take suggestions from the public. By the close of a special meeting in July, more than 100 different names had been submitted.
The 24 commission members were surveyed by mail about their favorite choices, and the 15 members at the Friday meeting voted on the top vote-getters.
Jennifer Frost, the owner of WVOD-FM radio station in Manteo, had thought up the winning submission, which received 10 votes.
Other selections were New World Park, New World Festival Park and 1584 Festival Park.
Ice Plant Island, located across from the Manteo waterfront, is the home of the Outer Banks History Center and the state's 16th-century style representative sailing boat Elizabeth II.
Construction began in September, and is scheduled to be completed by spring of 1998. by CNB