Council looking to name something after former mayor Lewis

There’s Gaines Park at 1008 Pike St. NW.

And the Charles A. Booth Bridge.

And who can forget the Stanley Kersey Bridge on Auburn Way South?

Seems another piece of Auburn’s landscape or streetscape is about to be graced with the name of a former Auburn mayor.

On Monday, the Auburn City Council took the first steps to naming something or other after Pete Lewis, Auburn’s mayor from 2002 to 2014.

But what?

A thoroughfare?

A park?

Bill Peloza suggested the M Street underpass. Although planning for the major construction project began long before Lewis was elected mayor, Peloza said, Lewis did play a prominent role gathering funds to build it and shepherding it to completion.

And if not for that accomplishment, Peloza continued, the man did dedicate 20 years of his life to the City of Auburn, first as a council member.

Citing Lewis’ long involvement with the military – he served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War – Rich Wagner said it would be “very appropriate” to connect him to the Veterans Memorial Park or to the future Vietnamese memorial in Les Gove Park, if such could be done without totally changing the names.

“Both have names already, but if there were some way to work Pete’s name into those, I really like the idea of having something related to veterans,” Wagner said.

Wagner later suggested renaming Division Street after Lewis, as the former mayor had a lot to do with the recent development there.

What about that 20-acre park, still in the earliest of planning stages, off 104th Street along the Green River, offered Largo Wales?

Or the Auburn Environmental Park, said Bob Baggett?

John Holman suggested a particular tiny lake on the West Hill, which was acquired during Lewis’ administration.

Lewis was unavailable for comment.