Downtown street to be renamed Doris Day Way (on Doris Day Day)

Cameron Knight
Cincinnati Enquirer
Doris Day had an image as the girl next door in her career as a singer and movie star.

The 21C Hotel and the Aronoff Center will soon sit on Doris Day Way after city council voted to honor the Cincinnati native Tuesday.

Wednesday will also be declared Doris Day Day.

The new name applies to Walnut Street between Sixth and Seventh streets. It's an honorary second name to recognize the actress, singer and animal welfare activist.

Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld introduced the legislation. He is 63 years younger than Day; a fact not lost on him. He said it was really Day's passionate local fan base who moved to honor her.

Sittenfeld said Day was one of Cincinnati's few "megawatt" starts who was actually born and raised here. She started her career singing on WLW.

The renaming passed the major transportation committee Tuesday with Councilman Kevin Flynn voting, "Que sera, sera," before officially logging his vote.

The street will be dedicated Wednesday by city council followed by a 7 p.m. screening of "Pillow Talk" at the Esquire Theatre. On Thursday, The Video Archive in Walnut Hills will also show "The Man Who Knew Too Much" and other Day films from 5 to 11 p.m. Both events will raise money for the Doris Day Animal Foundation.

Day now lives in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, a city that claims to be heaven on earth for dogs, and is unable to travel, but send her thanks to the city.