Wahnish Way will keep its formal name after a ruling by County Commissioners

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    On Tuesday night, the Leon County Commission backed away from plans to name Wahnish Way after Althea Gibson, the barrier-breaking Black athlete.

    Commissioners said the tennis champion and Florida A&M alum is more than deserving, but they understand concerns that changing the name of just part of the street, could be confusing in an emergency.

    “I fail to be persuaded,” Commissioner Bill Proctor said during the meeting.

    The board approved a motion to keep Wahnish Way’s formal name, but install signs from FAMU Way to Orange Avenue calling the area ‘Althea Gibson Way’. The compromise means area residents won’t have to worry about changing their addresses.

    “If we do that, then we should singularize the entire street from Bragg Drive, all the way up Old Bainbridge, and make it Althea Gibson Way,” said Proctor. “That would make it uniform.”

    Locals can expect to see the new signs up by April 3rd.