A Way To Celebrate Great Gift Of Nature Crazy Idea? It Just Might Be The Innovation Spokane Needs.

The Spokane River is not at its fullest this time of year. The falls that usually cascade through downtown are less than spectacular. Still, if you take a walk through Riverfront Park today, the falls will capture your imagination.

Stand on the footbridge and watch the water splash its way through basalt rock that oozed from cracks in the Earth before humans ever walked here. The rock reminds us of our ancient history and the water streaming over the rock reminds us of the cycle of life. The river journeyed from upstream in the past, to the present at the footbridge and it is swept into the future downstream.

Spokane Falls provide us a calm place to visit in the middle of a busy day, in the middle of a busy city, in the middle of a busy life.

Spokane Falls is the city’s crown jewel. We should let the rest of the world know it. Changing Spokane’s name to its original name - Spokane Falls - will accomplish this. And much more.

In 1878, a few years before Spokane Falls was even incorporated, pioneer J.J. Browne wrote his wife about the town. “There is a nucleus of a town here - a gristmill, a sawmill, a saloon and post office with some half dozen residences.” Not much excitement, right. But then Browne told his wife about the falls. He gushed: “The location is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen.”

Spokane Falls distinguishes the city. We have a river running through our core, a river that falls and splashes and roars in ways unusual even in the wilderness. A name change could celebrate this gift of nature.

Spokane is in transition. Newcomers from all over the world have moved here, helping the city grow from a provincial Western town to a city being recognized nationally for its quality of life. A name change would allow us a step into the future, while honoring the past.

The idea began in a newspaper column by our own Doug Clark. But his idea caught the imagination of others and now voters in November might have the chance to decide on the name change.

Excellence guru Tom Peters was in Spokane this week. He said: “Bad ideas kill themselves off. Crazy ideas are innovative.”

Change Spokane to Spokane Falls? Sounds crazy at first, but it just might be the innovation Spokane needs now.

, DataTimes MEMO: For opposing view, see headline: 1891 name choice still our best bet

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