For years, Vancouver has relied on its staff to determine the names of new streets and parks. Occasionally, it would take suggestions from the public. Often, new developments reflected the desires and wishes of market-savvy developers.
For instance, when Jack Poole Plaza west of the new convention centre was named before the 2010 Winter Olympics for the late developer and chairman of the Olympic organizing committee, citizens had no say in the matter.
But now the city is considering changing its street and public places naming policies to include advice from residents. On Tuesday council unanimously supported a motion by Coun. Andrea Reimer to consider including citizens on the city’s streets naming committee, and widened the motion to include public spaces such as plazas.
Reimer said the city’s naming policy previously has been approached in an ad hoc manner. Sometimes public committees or individuals are consulted, as in the case when the city named Suzhou Alley in Chinatown in 2002.
When the Olympic Village was built near southeast False Creek, the three new streets — Athletes Way, Walter Hardwick Avenue and Salt Street — were named without public consultation, she said.
“Streets are there forever. There are cities that are thousands of years old and those names don’t change,” she said.
“I can’t think of anything that is more permanent in a city than a street. I think we need to have a way of ensuring the public has input into how those names are chosen.”
Over the years the city hasn’t added a lot of new streets. But in the next few years large developments in the East Fraser Lands and Northeast False Creek neighbourhoods will produce many new streets to be named, Reimer said.
Now, the city’s street naming committee is made up of its archivist, city surveyor and representatives of the planning, permits and licensing, and fire and rescue services departments.
The park board and library board have their own naming policies. In 2007 the park board set up a five-member citizen-based naming committee. They also can consult with community groups and organizations about possible names that reflect the neighbourhood, history or notable citizens.
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