After receiving more than 30 nominations, the Town of Mansfield has selected five names for streets and structures within Storrs Center.
The following recommendations made by the were approved Monday at a town council meeting.
- Royce Circle – In honor of the late John Royce, one of the first three settlers at Ponde Place. According to the town, Royce’s son owned the property now known as Dog Lane. The semi-circle that surrounds the transportation center and parking garage will be known as Royce Circle.
- Charles Smith Way – Named after the late Charles Emory Smith, a Mansfield-born man who later became postmaster general and a U.S. Ambassador to Russia, according to town records. C.E. Smith Way will front the Storrs Post Office.
- Bolton Road – Intersects Royce Circle
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- Wilbur Cross Way – Pays homage to Mansfield-born Wilbur Cross, who served as Governor of Connecticut from 1931-39. The road connects Royce Circle with C.E. Smith Way
- Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center – In honor of the late Dennison Nash and Gary Zimmer. Nash was a University of Connecticut professor of anthropology and advocate for the Willimantic/Mansfield bus service. Zimmer served on the town Planning & Zoning Commission, Transportation and Agricultural Committee and acted as a solid waste advisor. The Intermodal Transportation Center & Garage will bare their names.
“We decided to look at names from the Town’s more distant history, and ultimately to the persons we have recommended,” read a committee report.
The committee – led by councilmen Christopher Paulhus, William Ryan and Carl Schaefer – believed it “proper” to pay homage to more recent citizens Nash and Zimmer - via the Intermodal Center - due to their transportation contributions to the town.
"I think you've come up with names that make sense for the areas you've named, so thank you for that," Mansfield Mayor Elizabeth Paterson said.
Click on the attached PDF file above to view more on the committee's decision-making process and for a map of the streets.
