(File photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Request to council

Métis resident hopes city will give streets Indigenous names

Aug 18, 2021 | 5:00 PM

A local Métis resident is asking the City of North Battleford to consider renaming some streets to reflect Indigenous culture and history and make the community more inclusive.

Marilyn Richardson presented as a delegation during council’s meeting Tuesday.

She asked to have the city rename the three main Railway Avenue arteries to Cree or another Aboriginal language to better represent the traditions of many people in the community.

“I’m doing this to raise the esteem of children and adults of Aboriginal ancestry,” Richardson told council.

She suggested changing the Railway Avenue road names — South Railway Avenue, Railway Avenue East and West Railway Avenue — since they often cause a lot of confusion for people looking for a location somewhere on the multi-directional artery.

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She proposed a few different Cree names that might be considered instead, such as “Awasisak Way,” meaning the Way of the Children.

The retired teacher said there is a notable lack of representation in the city of the Indigenous heritage of the area, whether that is in street names, monuments or other landmarks.

In her submitted letter, Richardson said she is pleased to see the city has joined the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities which has the goal of the eradication of racism.

“Changing the names of these thoroughfares to reflect Aboriginal people in our region would be an affirmative action that would fulfill the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” she stated.

Richardson told council it would be good for tourism for North Battleford to have more landmarks identified in a First Nation language as well.

“There is an economic benefit to boosting our tourism,” she said. “We have such a bad name. Why not raise our level with the First Nations people?’

Coun. Len Taylor agreed with Richardson that the Railway Avenue artery names can pose a conundrum.

“I think we really should as a community re-examine the Railway Avenues…,and try and find a way to make that a little bit more friendly to visitors and even some residents; myself included,” he said.

Taylor mentioned the city is developing the southwest border of the community with consultation with local First Nation communities, and there are some street names that have been developed.

“We’re open to suggestions you are making,” he said.

As well, he said the city established a body previously to review the city’s process for designating names after being approached about honouring famous sports athletes for the Battlefords.

Coun. Bill Ironstand agreed with Richardson’s proposal, saying a street could even be renamed something simple, such as the name of a song bird in Cree, for example.

City administration will come back to council, likely at its October meeting, with more information on what the process would entail for renaming streets to further look at Richardson’s request.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow