Veterans Mountain

[JoelHazelton]

Lofty tribute is sought in Phoenix for veterans
By Deanna Dent
Cronkite News Service
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 10.30.2008

PHOENIX —
It isn't the tallest or most popular mountain in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, but Lanny Brent says it can be an important symbol for the many who pass it each day.

Brent, a Sun City resident and veteran, is hoping to name it Veterans Mountain. While city of Phoenix officials don't support the idea, he's hoping the Arizona State Board on Geographic and Historic Names will grant his request when the board meets next month. The mountain overlooks the Piestewa Freeway, which cuts through the preserve as it carries drivers between downtown and far north Phoenix.

"It's to have something permanent that people can drive by and say, 'That's Veterans Mountain,' and be reminded of all the sacrifices and services that all the veterans of our nation have given," Brent said. Brent, who served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, has spent six months looking for the site and filing paperwork with the state board, including notices giving city, state, federal and tribal governments and opportunity to submit comments. Brent has a letter of support from Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. But a letter from the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department, while not objecting to honoring veterans, raises concerns that naming the mountain will lead to an influx of other such requests.

"It opens up every mountain, peak and summit to naming," David Urbinato, a department spokesman, said in a telephone interview.
The letter on file is from Phil Richards, chairman of the Parks and Recreation Board, who wrote Mayor Phil Gordon that Phoenix Mountain Preserve is the most acceptable name for the area.

But Brent's campaign got a boost Wednesday when two state lawmakers and a group of veterans joined him at a news conference at the Capitol.
Rep. Jerry Weiers, R-Glendale, said creating Veterans Mountain is a more permanent honor than a memorial at the Capitol.
"A mountain is something that is our country, is our state," Weiers said.
Sen. Linda Gray, R-Phoenix, ticked off named mountains such as Shaw Butte and Camelback, Shadow and Lookout mountains.
"They all sit in the preserve, so it's quite honoring that we find an unnamed mountain peak and name it in honor of our veterans," Gray said.
Brent got his first look at the mountain Wednesday, when he accompanied a reporter to the preserve after the news conference. Before that, it had been a spot on a map.
"I look at this one and I like it," Brent said. "It's a nice mountain and it stands out, and that is what I want to achieve."

[chumley]

I'm all for naming the mountain as long as the naming goes through the proper channels and is approved. Without opening a huge political discussion on whether it was good/bad, right/wrong, agree/disagree, the changing of Squaw Peak to Piestewa Peak was not made through the normal approval process (which requires a 5-year waiting period to prevent "emotional" changes).

As for opening "every mountain, peak, and summit to naming" ... why is that a problem? Again, just go through the proper channels and the processes which have been set up for naming of landmarks. If there is enough public support for naming a previously unnamed landmark, I say why not?

[JimmyLyding]

The problem I see with opening up every mountain for naming is that it will become a huge headache. What if another group comes along with the idea that Peak 1922 should be named "Edward Abbey Peak?" Then another group comes up with the idea that it should be "Mercury Mine Peak." Do we want our board of place names, or whatever it's called, to be inundated with requests to change the names of every mountain & geographical feature to suit the whims of individual citizens?
Before today this mountain was most notable for having a "SM" made of quartz on its east face that was allegedly removed by a church group because they thought it stood for "sadomasochism." Allegedly. There's still a remnant up there. My mom lives just below this mountain.
If this name change goes through I am going to propose that the small ridge that runs east from Stony Mountain to 24th Street be renamed "Keystone Point."

[chumley]

James ... I agree with the renaming headaches. However, this peak is currently unnamed. It's not changing something that already exists to something new and different.

There's a "Point Chumley" in Arizona that dozens of my friends know about. I named it. But it already has another name on the map. I don't propose to officially change it.

My original thought is that even if my self-named Pt. Chumley was not previously named, there's not going to be public support to name it after me anyway. There's a process in place, and in theory it should weed out "frivolous" claims by random people like me.

If Veterans Mtn doesn't pass the muster of the process, it won't be named that. If it does, it will. That's why there's a Board on Geographic and Historic names.

[JimmyLyding]

As long as they wait 5 years I guess I don't have that much of an issue with it. I just hate it when politicians attach themselves to issues like this, and we all know that anyone who disagrees with changing the name of this peak will be branded as being "anti-veteran" by people of a certain political persuasion.
This Lanny Brent character is just looking for personal glory, IMO. He thought up the name, and then looked for a peak. That doesn't seem like the way it should be.

[Jeffshadows]

As long as they wait 5 years I guess I don't have that much of an issue with it. I just hate it when politicians attach themselves to issues like this, and we all know that anyone who disagrees with changing the name of this peak will be branded as being "anti-veteran" by people of a certain political persuasion.
This Lanny Brent character is just looking for personal glory, IMO. He thought up the name, and then looked for a peak. That doesn't seem like the way it should be.

You might even be branded "anti-veteran" by people on the same side of the political aisle as you ;) ...things like this are terribly contentious...

[azdesertfather]

I've never understood why they couldn't just do like ballot propositions, where if they get a minimum number of signatures in the state that they could put it up as an official request before this commission. That would keep the commission in charge of names to only hearing ones with a groundswell of support, and not just every little person wanting a moment of fame ;)

[chumley]

So if the collective power of HAZ members united to officially name a geographic feature, what would it be? I submit Teva-Joe Beach as my first choice. Or subtly change the Barnhardt Trail to the Bartels Trail?

[Hoffmaster]

So if the collective power of HAZ members united to officially name a geographic feature, what would it be?

I'm partial to Hoffmaster Gulch myself. How about Te-Wa Wash? It'd be somewhere near Lee's Ferry.

[JimmyLyding]

Folks,
We need to make "Keystone Point" a reality.

[Hoffmaster]

We need to make "Keystone Point" a reality.

Elaborate please.

[JimmyLyding]

Keystone Point is the small ridgeline that runs east from Stony Mountain in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve. It's just south of Shea between 24th Street and 23rd Street. The prominent mountain that is about 2 blocks west of Christy Cove Park (west side of 24th Street just north of Shea) is Stoner's Mountain.