Aspen Times - Aspen, CO
     October 15, 1998
                                      
         Council asked to change 'Main Street' to 'John Denver Way'
                          Aspen Times Staff Report
                                    
        The Aspen City Council didn't exactly sing when they heard a
     suggestion Monday that the name of Main Street be changed to John
                                Denver Way.
                                  
      The suggestion was made during the council's informal brown-bag
            luncheon by local builder and designer Buzz Dopkin.
                                      
     Citing the late singer-songwriter's international efforts for the
   environment, peace, hunger and other causes, Dopkin suggested the city
    should "do something to recognize John. He was an inspiration to me,
                          and to so many others."
                                      
    Denver, who had lived in Aspen since the 1970s, died last fall in a
   plane crash in California. His death, which shocked the world as well
       as Aspen, was commemorated here with a candlelight vigil and a
             memorial ceremony that drew thousands of mourners.
                                      
      Conceding that Denver's life in Aspen was marred by "a couple of
    little instances that came up," Dopkin told the council, "None of us
                                is perfect."
                                      
    The members of the council made no response to Dopkin's suggestion,
             but listened politely throughout his presentation.
                                      
   Dopkin said that the name change should not present much of a problem
   to local residents, at least "logistically," maintaining that the U.S.
   Postal Service would continue to deliver mail to Main Street addresses
                   even if the street name was different.
                                      
   "Let's see what might need to be done to do it," he concluded, whether
   that might entail a vote of the electorate, a mayoral proclamation, or
                           a vote of the council.
                                      
    Mayor John Bennett said after the meeting that he was not sure what
                the City Council would do about the matter.
                                      
     But, he said, "There is no doubt in my mind that a community like
   Aspen should do something to honor its special citizens. What that is,
                               I don't know."
                                      
    Bennett noted that there have been similar suggestions regarding the
       recent deaths of other noted Aspenites, such as Fritz and Fabi
                      Benedict and Elizabeth Paepcke.