Bills Seek to Rename Road and Tennis Court in Honor of Local Luminaries: Bishop Industrious and Fenella Cooper

In two separate bills sponsored by Senators Carla Joseph and Marvin Blyden, efforts are underway to honor two Virgin Islanders for their contributions to the community in religion and sport.

If passed by the legislature and ultimately signed into law by Governor Albert Bryan Jr., a public roadway will be renamed after Bishop William Industrious, and tennis courts at the University of the Virgin Islands will bear the name of Fenella Cooper, who passed in 2021.

Through Bill 35-0223, Sen. Joseph intends to rename a portion of Gamle Gade on St. Thomas the “William A. Industrious Street.” The section of road runs directly in front of the Christian Unity Church which the soon-to-be 95-year-old Bishop Industrious is credited for establishing.

In testimonies from his colleagues, Mr. Industrious was characterized as a “man that is well loved and respected by the people of the Virgin Islands, and especially those in the Christian Community.” Similar sentiments were shared by his granddaughter Dr. Andrea Dorsey who commended Sen. Joseph for giving him “the flowers he deserves while he is still here with us so that he may know that his labor was not in vain.”