Council rejects The Old Dump as name for housing project

Split votes sink alternative names…for at least a bit longer

[  by Mark Reaman  ]

The people spoke — or at least 196 of them did — and the majority said they wanted the new affordable housing project at Sixth and Butte to be called The Old Dump. That was one of five names presented to the public as a choice for the upcoming deed-restricted development that will be located next to one of Crested Butte’s other affordable housing projects, Poverty Gulch. The Old Dump garnered 41% of the votes.

But at the January 3 town council meeting, councilmembers couldn’t pull the trigger and go with The Old Dump even though they acknowledged that that is what locals will probably call the rental project once completed since it will sit on the site of the old town dump that has since been cleaned up. After several failed votes council admittedly “punted” the name selection to the next council meeting on January 17.

“When I saw the list on the online survey I voted for The Old Dump,” admitted councilmember Chris Haver. “But I don’t think we should call it that. Names matter and I don’t want to send it in that direction.”

“If we go with The Old Dump, it should be Ye Old Dump,” said councilmember (and Vinotok maiden) Beth Goldstone.

Councilmember Anna Fenerty said she’s been conducting her own poll amongst constituents and some names that emerged included The Last Station, The Common Space and The Edge. Councilmember Jason MacMillan at one time suggested Buttey McButte Face as a moniker and Haver said he was warming up to it.

Goldstone moved to go with Ye Old Dump but no one seconded her motion. Haver then suggested the council go with the survey’s second place winner, Mineral Point Place but that also failed to attract the needed votes. No one seemed at all enamored with the other names on the survey list that included Sledding Hill Apartments (yawn) and The Rookery (huh?). Gabi Prochaska moved to stay with the current name of Sixth and Butte “knowing that the local vernacular will be The Old Dump.” That motion also failed.

Mayor Ian Billick said they could bandy about names all night long or punt the name selection to a later meeting. MacMillan suggested the council “kick the can down the road” to at least the next meeting and that is what will happen. The tension and excitement of what name will be chosen will now last until January 17.