Otonabee chosen for township’s mailing addresses

New district to replace Peterborough rural route addresses being phased out after Otonabee-south Monaghan residents were surveyed

By a “clear majority,” residents of the Otonabee ward of Otonabee-South Monaghan Township have chosen Otonabee as the name for a new mailing district in the northwest part of the township that includes former Peterborough rural route addresses.

Township council made the decision earlier this month after reviewing the results of a survey it sent to Otonabee Ward residents asking for their preference.

Eight hundred responses were received, said township Deputy Reeve Joe Taylor.

The present mailing address for residents in the former Otonabee ward of the township is Otonabee South Monaghan. Canada Post informed the township of that change in November as part of its move to eliminate all RR addresses in favour of civic addresses.

Critics of the name said it was too long, and argued it in favour of names that would have historical significance.

Canada Post said it would accept new names, and in April the township proposed an Indian River district in the northeast part of the affected area and a Keene district to the immediate south.

Some former RR Peterborough residents wanted to include Peterborough in the new name, but Canada Post said that option would create problems with duplication of addresses in the city.

The survey offered residents five choices: just Indian River and Keene; OSM- Peterborough; Stewart Hall; Otonabee; or other.

“We wanted residents to tell us what name they preferred,” Taylor said. “Frankly, we didn’t care. They could have called it Timbuktu. We just wanted to know what the majority of people wanted.”

Otonabee was the winner by a wide margin, Taylor said, with 40% of respondents picking it as their top choice.

“We said all along we would go with whatever the majority wishes,” he said. “That’s why we included the ‘other’ option. When one name gets 40% of the support amongst really, an unlimited number of options, it clearly is the winner. It was a clear majority.”

Canada Post has said it will approve the names, Taylor said.

“We have to put a clear boundary around that new Otonabee mailing area and we are doing that,” he said. Once Canada Post approves the new mailing districts, residents will have a year to change their addresses. Taylor said they would likely come into effect by the fall of 2014.

“I’m really, really happy to put this behind us,” he said. “It’s been a lengthy process. It’s been controversial and has caused a lot of concern, and I am glad to see the end of it.”

The changes affect about twothirds of the municipality. Addresses in the township's South Monaghan ward, which includes Bailieboro and Fraserville, will not change for five to 10 years, Canada Post has said.