Years ago, my family and I moved to Cedar Rapids. In general, when we talked about the city with others they held the city in low regard. The joke was C.R. the city of “5 smells.” Times have changed. Thanks to so many including our current Mayor Ron Corbett and City Manager Jeff Pomerantz, we have a pretty city. Now I don’t want to overdue this, but when I am asked where my home is, I say “the corridor of Cedar Rapids to Iowa City.” It has rolling hills, lots of trees and lots of little lakes along with the Cedar River.

If the conversation continues, I talked about New Bo, Zip line, the new down town, including the refurbished Paramount. If they are still with me, I go on about our bike trails, and how my family is not far from the houseboats.

Now, for one clerk whom I met in a southwest vacation, I said that Iowa was not Idaho or Ohio. She got that. Now I could tell her that U. S. News and World Report ranked Iowa on numerous metrics as the most livable and #1 in the country.

Come on. I got more including the new McGrath Amphitheater, 5 Seasons convention center, 5 nature centers, the Hawkeyes and the “wave.”

Okay. Okay. My list and my research could name so much more, but I just want to say one more thing about the improvement in flood control. However, a 100 year flood plain does not mean that the next flood will be in 100 years. Think 1993, 2008, and 2016. We need to do more. So I now have my chance to tell you my feelings except for this. The headline in Monday’s Gazette (3/26) has a story on the near completion on Mount Trashmore. Folks don’t do it. Don’t let that name remain. We can do better. We have some A- list areas like the “Field of Dreams” Stone City, Lake McBride/ Lake Coralville and the Amanas. So, Mount Trashmore needs a new name. What if Brucemore had a funny name? So it is time to have a contest or a committee to help us have a new name on this new really tall hill. At one time, I did not live that far from Council Bluffs. I liked it. It really was a large extended hill, not a mountain.

That big hill will soon open. How about a new name? It will be more than trash.

Joel Snell

3105 Allegheny Dr. NE

Apple wood Hills

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

52402-3315

319-366-0063

joelsnell@hotmail.com