by James Matthews, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Algonquin Highlands council wants a say in the naming of a road in a Kennisis River subdivision.
But first, council will task the township’s museum committee for discussion about any possible historical events or people the thoroughfare could be named for.
Sean O’Callaghan, the township’s municipal planner, said during council’s April 4 meeting that Greg Bishop of Greg Bishop Surveying is looking for some name ideas that can be forwarded to the county council for feedback.
Bishop’s company is working to finalize conditions for a draft approval for the subdivision along Kennisis River north of Halls Lake. It will be comprised of 17 residential lots and a municipal road.
“Condition No. 3 of the draft approval requires that a street shall be named to the satisfaction of the Township of Algonquin Highlands and County of Haliburton,” Bishop wrote in a letter to council.
“It is my understanding that Council has expressed some interest in being involved in the naming of this road, and to that end, I would like to respectfully request that Council choose a name they deem appropriate.”
The road, once named, can then be added to the 911 emergency dispatch system for Haliburton County.
The name on the original draft approval listed the road as Hawk Valley Drive, and Bishop said he has no problem continuing with that moniker.
Otherwise, he asks that township council suggest a name for the thoroughfare before July 31.
“So that I may ensure that I have adequate time for the proposed name to be approved at the county level and the condition fulfilled well in advance of the date of lapsing for the proposed subdivision,” Bishop said.
Deputy Mayor Jennifer Dailloux wondered what a road-naming process would be in the absence of some kind of cultural committee.
“Or do you just want to brainstorm amongst ourselves?” she said.
“It’s been referred to as the Hawk Valley Drive for quite some time and I don’t have an issue with that, personally,” Mayor Liz Danielsen said. “In fact I think it’s probably a lot more appropriate than some of the road name that we’ve got now that are in place.”
Councillor Sabrina Richards agreed that Hawk Lake Drive is appropriate for the area.
Dailloux suggested council hold off on the decision until the next township council meeting.
“I’ll take a look at our historical mapping and some of the local family names that have been raised in all of the heritage work that’s gone on just in case there is something else there,” Dailloux said.
“I have a little bit of an issue naming roads after people because you can run into so many people,” Danielsen said. “We have actually had a request in the past where we rename a road in memory of someone and we did not do that. It just create conflict and expectations in people.”
Angie Bird, the municipality’s CAO, asked if the topic could be forwarded to the museum committee in the absence of a heritage group.
“We could do that, sure,” Danielsen said.
