CMU 20,000, the organization spearheading the attempt to rename North Avenue to University Boulevard, has asked the Grand Junction City Council to reconsider the move. During a city council meeting on October 18, the council members unanimously decided to bring the resolution back for a vote to rescind the North Avenue name change on November 1.

The heated debate about changing North Avenue to University Boulevard brought dozens out to listen in – including Melody Fraser, the owner of the Mail Suite on North Avenue. “It’s already impacted me. I’ve already lost business because of the possibility of a name change,” said Fraser.

Those with CMU 20,000 said they hope to build a strong relationship between the university and city – but this name change proposal created a distraction from their goals, disturbances among business, and divided the community. “Frankly this North Avenue, University Boulevard has been a distraction and has had the opposite effect of what we’re trying to build with CMU 20,000,” said Diane Schwenke, the president and CEO of the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce. 

CMU 20,000’s letter to city council included two other requests. In addition to reconsidering the name change, they want the council to endorse their initiative, and appoint a special task force team to raise visibility of the university throughout the town, not just on North Avenue.