The Town of Duck Lake is putting its naming rights up for sale, but it's at a hefty price: $10 million at least. (Town of Duck Lake Facebook)

By Will Mandzuk - CKOM News

New Name? no dice

Duck Lake residents ‘blindsided’ by town’s potential name change

Oct 25, 2025 | 2:00 PM

On Wednesday night, Duck Lake town council made an announcement that shocked the entire community — voting in favour of selling the naming rights to the over 150-year-old community.

Many residents say they were blindsided by the announcement and couldn’t believe what they were hearing during Wednesday’s meeting.

Angel Lavovaz was there that night and described what was going through her mind.

“[I thought], ‘What was [Mayor Jason Anderson] smoking?’” she said. “It just didn’t make sense to us, and I don’t see it going through.”

Lavovaz says there are too many logistical issues when it comes to changing a town’s name and hopes that council will ultimately change their minds.

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“It’s one thing if they want to buy the rights to name the town hall or buy the rights to name the skating rink or something, but you don’t change the name of the town.”

If a winning bid is announced, Lavovaz said the successful company will have to have open conversations with the people in the town.

“They’ll have to,” she said. “This is not just a little thing, it’s really serious.”

Other residents are worried that the history Duck Lake has may not be associated with the new town name.

“It’ll be less with people,” Candace Gardippie said. “People right away know about the rebellion, and they know about Louis Riel or have heard about it.”

According to the town’s website, Duck Lake housed the Northwest Mounted Police during the Riel uprising.

Gardippie, who grew up in Duck Lake, disagrees with any potential name change.

“It takes away from [the pride]. There’s just too much history, it’s stupid to me … I don’t think it’s a good idea to change [the name].”

Gardippie also agrees that whoever wins the bid, should it go through, needs to talk to the people who live in the community to find a name that suits the history and the community today.

“There is a lot of Métis pride here,” she said. “The town should take it into serious consideration and talk to its members and its townpeople.”

Kobe Eyahpaise was caught off guard to hear about the decision.

“I’m actually kind of surprised,” he said, adding he won’t lose any sleep over the decision.

“That really isn’t disappointing,” he said. “I love the name. I love Duck Lake. I love the sound of it. If it’s going to be a different name, then it’s going to have to be better than Duck Lake.”

Eyaphaise believes that if anyone will have their town pride hurt, it’ll be the elderly people who live in the community.

“I don’t think it’s actually going to hurt anyone more or less,” he said. “I think it’s going to affect the older generation.”

Eyaphaise isn’t for or against the name change and said this is the way of the new generation.

“I’m kind of indifferent to it at the moment,” he said. “We live in a new generation and everything is moving forward.”

— with files from CKOM News