Idea meets opposition in renaming street

One official said creating a park walkway would be a better way to honor King.
SHARON, Pa. -- City council says it isn't interested in renaming any street until it knows what such action will cost the residents and businesses along that street.
That was the answer council offered Wednesday to a second request from the Shenango Valley Ministerial Association to rename Dock Street after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The ministerial association wants Farrell, Wheatland and Hermitage to do the same with the same road, which becomes Broadway Avenue in their jurisdictions.
A similar request made several months ago failed to produce the preferred result as only Farrell council supported the plan then. The association recently renewed its request.
Farrell council voted Monday to go along with the proposal again, provided the other three municipalities do likewise.
Sharon council didn't put the issue on its agenda but did discuss it during a work session before its meeting.
Strong opposition
Councilman Bob Lucas said he opposes renaming any street until the city can be told what it will cost businesses and residents on that street to legally change their addresses on licenses and other documents and change letterheads or other business-related material.
Councilwoman Chris Outrakis agreed, and Councilman Victor Heutsche said businesses on Dock Street should be surveyed to gauge their feelings before the issue is considered.
Councilman Darin Flower, whose business, Flower Lumber, is on Dock Street, suggested there should be a better way to honor King than naming a street after him.
Perhaps creating a walkway with benches and trees in his name in Bicentennial Park or renaming part of the Shenango Valley Community Library would be a better way to honor the slain civil rights leader, he said.
Hermitage and Wheatland have yet to reconsider the ministerial association's request.
Hermitage never voted on the matter last time. Wheatland turned it down after asking borough residents how they felt about it. Borough officials said the response was overwhelmingly against the change.