Citrus County looks to rename waterway as ‘American Freedom Canal’

The Gulf of Mexico became the Gulf of America with the stroke of President Donald Trump’s pen.

Could the Cross Florida Barge Canal become the American Freedom Canal?

If Citrus County Commissioners get their way, it could. Taking a cue from Trump, the board will consider renaming the barge canal to reflect its “historical and strategic importance.”

County Administrator Steve Howard said he placed the proclamation on the Feb. 11 agenda after receiving consensus from commissioners to do so.

They’re not all on board, though.

Commissioner Jeff Kinnard, the board’s champion for a planned $11 million multi-lane boat ramp at the barge canal, said the proclamation will divide the community and place the boat ramp project in jeopardy.

“We have unanimous support from Marion and Hernando and never once mentioned anything to them about renaming the canal,” he said. “That’s an unnecessary and unpredictable move by the Citrus County BOCC, potentially distancing some in all three counties.”

Howard said the proclamation is to bring awareness to the barge canal. He noted the Coast Guard is relocating its Yankeetown station from the Withlacoochee River to the canal, and the proposed name change is more in line with that move.

He also downplayed the current name’s significance.

“‘Cross Florida Barge Canal.’ No one calls it that,” Howard said. “They call it the ‘barge canal.’ It’s hard for me to understand why someone is upset about it.”

The barge canal has a lengthy and scattered history. President Franklin Roosevelt created the Florida Canal Authority on the belief that cutting a shipping route through the width of the state would stimulate the economy.

The project sputtered, and finally President Richard Nixon halted construction for good in 1971. The 110-mile Cross Florida Greenway, named for environmental activist Marjorie Harris Carr, stretches from Yankeetown to Palatka. The canal cuts through northwest Citrus County.

It’s used mostly used for recreation. The county has an official Port Citrus designation on the barge canal, but it was never built, and no such port exists.

Since 2012, the county has sought funding and permits for a multi-lane boat ramp that it hopes will alleviate boat traffic on the heavily congested Crystal River. At $7.2 million, it is the county’s top legislative request this year.

Howard said he and others were discussing the Coast Guard addition to the barge canal and thought the waterway should be renamed to welcome that security presence. He said the idea for “American Freedom Canal” came from those discussions.

The proclamation makes direct reference to Trump’s decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico.

“Whereas, in accordance with Executive Order 14172, entitled Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness, which directed the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and promotes the restoration of names reflecting American ideals, it is proposed that the Cross Florida Barge Canal be renamed the American Freedom Canal, in recognition of its historical and national defense significance…” it reads.

Howard, however, insisted that renaming the canal was unrelated to Trump’s executive order.

Many readers of the Just Wright Citrus blog, which reported on the proclamation Wednesday, were critical of commissioners for even considering the move when they have more pressing needs.

A sampling of comments:

— “That name has nothing to do with the history of the canal! It’s plain stupid. Besides, how is a dead-end canal freedom to anything?”

— “I could care less what it is named. The name doesn’t affect the lives of 99% of Citrus County residents. We are way more concerned with getting roads paved, infrastructure built, affordable housing, insurance costs, etc.”

— “I would like to propose that we rename the worst 10 roads in Citrus to Freedom Ave., Bald Eagle Drive, etc. They will get fixed instantly, right?”

— “Wow, I thought the county had much bigger issues to spend their time on! What a waste of staff time working on this. Some things should be left alone, and this is one of them.”