CITY HALL — Want to name Santa Monica's new bikeshare system? Just interested in submitting snarky or politically biting names?
Either way, City Hall is accepting suggestions for the name of the system slated to open later this year.
City officials are putting forward names like MiGo, WeGo, Breeze, Westside Ride, and bLink (pronounced "blink").
Bikeshares allow riders to check-out bikes from one station and drop them off at any other station in the city.
In November, City Council voted unanimously to have city officials negotiate a $5.6 million contract with CycleHop for the purchase, installation, and operation of 500 bikes and 65 to 75 stations throughout the city and beyond. Contract extensions could bring the total cost to $10.4 million over an 8-year period.
An online pollallows users to suggest a name for the system and weigh-in on five options suggested by city officials.
"Council chose the color green for Santa Monica's bikes, symbolizing (City Hall's) sustainability philosophy, which the bikeshare system brings to life in a very practical and visible way," officials said on City Hall's website. "The process of naming the system is underway, and you can participate by giving your opinions on some proposals that will be presented to Council for its consideration in February 2015."
City Hall is also soliciting help from the public in choosing locations for the bikeshare stations. Excited cyclists can suggest areas for bikeshare hubs and vote on existing suggestions at SantaMonicaBikeshare.com.
In recent years, City Hall has let the residents help name its public investments, like public parks.
The naming of Tongva Park, the city's most recently completed park, was not without its dissenters. Many in the community favored the name, which honors the indigenous people of the Los Angeles area. Members of the Kizh Nation spoke at the council meetings, claiming that the name doesn't accurately describe all of the different tribes living in the area.
The name was approved in a 4-1 vote, with outgoing City Councilmember Bob Holbrook dissenting.
The naming of a new park is underway, with the Recreation and Parks Commission recommending two names that were not among the dozens suggesting by residents. Council will have the final say on name of the 2.35-acre park, which currently goes by the placeholder "Buffer Park" and is meant to shield residents from the incoming Expo Light Rail's nearby maintenance facility.
The commission likes "Gandara Park" and "Heroes Park" after Joe Gandara, a once-forgotten Santa Monica resident who died heroically in World War II.
"Toypurina Park" was the top name suggested by the public, with 16 votes, after a Native American medicine woman.
Other suggestions include "George Ishihara Memorial Park," "Cookies and Cupcake," and "Too Damn Close to the Sidewalk Park."
CycleHop opened its first three bikeshare systems in the past two months after long delays.
dave@www.smdp.com
