Vancouver offers paltry nod to Saskatchewan
Minuscule lane to carry name of vast province
Mindful of a historic injustice, Vancouver’s new Civic Asset Naming Committee has recommended this city honour Saskatchewan by naming a minuscule, hidden laneway after the giant Prairie province.
“There is nothing named for Saskatchewan anywhere in Vancouver,” explains committee member Elizabeth Walker. “Why this great gap?”
It’s just not right, this oversight. But the roadway under consideration is underwhelming, to say the least. Designs call for a narrow, doglegged strip to run down the middle of a residential complex now under development in the city’s south side. The lane will only be the length of a single city block. Most of that will be private; the public portion will peter out after some 50 feet.
Concerns have been raised. Could the Saskatchewan Lane plan backfire, be taken as a slight? The development’s renowned architect hopes not. Gregory Henriquez only learned of the name proposal this week. “It’s going to be a really nice lane,” he says. “There will be retail shops alongside it, and First Nations art. It’s not going to be a normal lane. It’s going to be more a mews than a lane.”
That’s a relief. But a local businessman involved with the development wonders why Saskatchewan was chosen as the lane’s namesake in the first place. “Why don’t they just call it Baffin Island Way?” he asks. “That would make just as much sense.”
Not so fast, says Ms. Walker. There is some relevance. And she would know. A former reference librarian, Ms. Walker literally wrote the book on Vancouver street names. Street Names of Vancouver was published in 1999. The same south Vancouver neighbourhood was once intersected by a Saskatchewan Avenue, she says. That is, until the name was replaced with a boring number.
The situation reeks of spite. Vancouver still recognizes other Canadian provinces — and one territory — with roadway names. Some are abbreviated — street signs can’t accommo- date every word and letter in Confederation. The city’s leafy westside boasts Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Brunswick, Scotia, Prince Edward and Yukon streets. They run north to south, for blocks and blocks. Most even feature traffic lights.
Northwest Territories and Newfoundland and Labrador have never made the cut. Too cumbersome. But not to worry, Nunavummiut. If Vancouver’s naming committee is heard, Nunavut Lane will be coming soon. The lane has already been designated. It’s also small and hidden, but at least runs straight.
Vancouver’s five-person Civic Asset Naming Committee doesn’t wield unfettered power. It can’t go running off naming things, willy-nilly. Rather, it scrutinizes name suggestions for city streets and other facilities from members of the public, and passes along good ones to city council, for its consideration. The two lane name recommendations go to a council vote next week.
“The request for a Saskatchewan street came from someone presumably from Saskatchewan,” Ms. Walker says. The same goes for Nunavut, she thinks. Other names to pass muster will be added to a Civic Asset Name Reserve List.
“Terry Fox” and “Rick Hansen” were easily approved at the committee’s inaugural meeting this month. “Lawren S. Harris” required a
The situation reeks of spite
more careful look, according to meeting minutes. “It was noted that both ‘Lawren’ and ‘Harris’ do not meet the criteria for a street name, as they are either too similar to, or a duplication of, existing streets in the Metro Vancouver Network. However, the name in its entirety could be approved for another type of civic asset.”
Committee member Dmitry Aleno moved that the word “Occupy” be submitted for consideration as a street, place or building name.
The motion carried, with a caveat: “Occupy” will be “subject to an evaluation as to the relevance of the name at the (future) current time.” Relevance? Vancouver’s fling with the so-called “Occupy” movement included a fatal drug overdose in a civic plaza. “Occupy Vancouver” was a brief and dismal fizzle.
No matter. “Occupy” meets the committee’s name criteria, Ms. Walker says. “I think it’s rather nebulous, myself.”