Council hears vocal neighborhood support to rename Kiev Street to Kyiv

Springfield residents and members of the local Ukrainian community told the City Council that they support changing the spelling of a short residential street from the Russian-rooted transliteration “Kiev” (K I E V) to the Ukrainian-preferred “Kyiv” (K Y I V).

The nut graf: The City Council completed the first reading of an ordinance to rename the street in the Uke Village subdivision and heard multiple public comments in favor of the change. Supporters said the spelling update corrects a historically Russified transliteration and reflects the community’s heritage.

Tom Sievers, senior planner, explained the municipal process and told councilors the street was dedicated in 1978 and has been in use with the older spelling since then. He noted municipal naming standards and that staff had received a consent petition signed by a majority of affected property owners requesting the change. "Because all applicable standards have been satisfied, city staff recommends that the renaming of Kyiv to Kyiv, K Y I V, be considered for approval by council," Sievers said.

Petition author Andre Schuler, who said he circulated the petition, described the change as symbolic, arguing that transliterations of Ukrainian place names had historically been filtered through Russian conventions and that updating spellings honors the Ukrainian community’s identity in Springfield. "Updating the name of Kyiv Street is a small local, with local action but has a powerful resonance," Schuler said.

Longtime neighborhood residents also spoke in favor. Kathy Johns, who identified herself as ``from Ukraine,'' said, "I am from Ukraine, and I approve it." Several neighbors said they value the neighborhood’s Ukrainian cultural institutions and history.

Ending: The ordinance was taken up on first reading; any final vote or second reading will occur at a later council meeting per the city's ordinance reading schedule.