Hurricanes Are Named; Why Not Snowstorms? Cda Considers Contest For Kids To Think Snow

Kids may get a new reason to pray for snow.

The Coeur d’Alene City Council will consider a proposal next week to allow area elementary students to name Coeur d’Alene’s big snowstorms.

“I think it’s a good idea to get kids and the community involved and to make it a fun thing,” city Councilwoman Dixie Reid said.

Naming storms has a practical application as well, said Street Superintendent Jon Ingalls, who came up with the idea.

The city will continue testing equipment called snow gates, which allow plow operators to avoid piling snow in residents’ driveways.

Last year, Ingalls named each of the seven storms that required plowing, allowing him to keep track of citizen concerns and compliments.

Ingalls is hoping children can come up with better names than Alpha, Beta, Charlie and Delta, which were used last year.

Councilman Dave Walker said he would like to see the Name the Winter Storms Contest taken to a different elementary school each year. “I think it’s a good idea,” Walker said.

Reid agreed with Walker and voted to send the proposal to the City Council for consideration at its meeting next Tuesday.

If the contest pans out, Ingalls would have a crew of volunteer snowplow operators grade the entries. The winner would be treated to refreshments and receive a certificate from the city.

The first name would start with “A,” proceeding through the alphabet.

“If we have enough storms that we need a name that starts with `O,’ we are out of here,” Ingalls quipped.