Martinez renames street to honor rodent mascot
After years of controversy, hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on a retaining wall and 5 beaver festivals, Mayor Rob Schroder announced this morning that he will adopt the suggestion of advocates to rename “CASTRO” street to “CASTOR” street. (Castor is the latin name for beaver)
“It’s a simple change for us, that will really mean something to the city.” the mayor explained wednesday night. “The city spent a lot of time and energy trying to figure out a compromise on the beavers, and the update reflects that.”
In November 2007, 200 people attended a dynamic city meeting to discuss what to do about the beavers. Many were residents who felt passionately that the animals had created a sense of community for the city. Some were business owners who just wanted to avoid a new flooding situation. Forced to compromise the city paid an expert from Vermont to install a flow device that prevented flooding and allowed the beavers to remain. “We worked hard to solve a problem and succeeded.” said the mayor. “Why not switch two letters to commemorate that in a street name?”
Not everybody is happy with the decision. “Those beavers have cost this town enough money as it is” said lawyer Al Turnbaugh whose office is next to the creek. “If Martinez had any sense at all the only memorial we’d be making from those beavers is a hat.”
Public works crews will be repainting the signs starting tuesday morning, and are not enthusiastic about the project either. “Castro street is a lot longer than anyone realizes” complained director Dave Scola. “There are three sections that go all the way to highway 4. That means 29 signs for us to paint.”
But advocates couldn’t be happier. Worth A Dam founder Heidi Perryman said that it will reflect the important story of the beavers role in Martinez. “When else has Martinez ever been on national news? She asked pointedly. “Castro street runs right past city hall, through the center of town, directly to the beaver dam itself. We all had to work together as a community to figure this out. That seems worth remembering.”
The change will be the first of its kind for the city, and for the country, since while there are plenty of Castro streets on the map, (including the infamous district in San Francisco), are no other “Castor” streets listed in the geographic street names for the entire United States.
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