Is it time for city to change its name?

To the Editor:

I am responding to Tony Basiliere’s letter in last week’s paper regarding using the nickname SoBu. I share his dislike of this term for our city, and also view it as false attempt at catchiness or, as he said, an effort to sound hip and cool. I cringe a little every time I hear it used or see it written. It’s way past time to drop this cutesy abbreviation.

Basiliere mentions that years ago a past city council spent — wasted, in my opinion — $17,000 to hire a marketing firm to come up with a city brand. As part of this contract, the firm also came up with a catchphrase for the city. It was, as I recall: “South Burlington—a different place altogether.”

That inane phrase could apply to anyplace. I can’t recall if that’s when SoBu was created.

During this branding effort we were asked our opinion on whether we’d like to change the name of our city. Lots of us wanted a name change that would give us a more meaningful identity other than a geographical one connected to another city. I can’t remember the names folks suggested, but I’m pretty sure SoBu was not one of them.

Often when I tell friends outside of Vermont that I live in South Burlington, they assume I live in the southern part of the city of Burlington. To have our city name be pretty much the same as the most recognized city in the state does nothing to set us apart or give us a separate and unique identity.

While we have much greater problems to address than our city name, words and names do matter, and they do carry power. Perhaps someone, or a civic or school entity, can start a city re-naming challenge or contest. It would be great to have a name that reflects what we aspire to be as a city. SoBu is not it.

Rosanne Greco

South Burlington