City councillors largely support a request from the Yellowknives Dene First Nation to change the name of Yellowknife’s main street.
Actually changing the name is not simple, however, councillors were told at a Monday meeting as they discussed a proposal to change the name of Franklin Avenue, or 50 Avenue, to Chief Drygeese Avenue.
Yellowknife city manager Sheila Bassi-Kellett said the request came after the city asked the First Nation about suggestions for traditional names of landmarks and roads as part of its reconciliation work. The city has, for example, previously updated its stop signs to include Wılıı̀deh.
Bassi-Kellett said changing a street name comes with “a lot of operational and logistical issues.”
Changes that would need to be made include updating systems like the fire department’s software, the city’s website and mapping software, alongside updates to visitor guides, transit routes and even the size of street signs.
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“To be sure that the street signs could be read from a vehicle … we may need to go into a larger-size street sign,” Bassi-Kellett said.
Under the city’s street naming policy, the municipality has to consider potential confusion for emergency responders and delivery services, potential cost to residents and businesses, the cost of replacing street signs, historical significance, and the appropriateness of the name for a location.
Mayor Rebecca Alty said one area where work to change Franklin Avenue’s name could be reduced is to keep mailing addresses as 50 Avenue.
As a first step, councillors have asked city staff to work on a memorandum regarding the name change. They stressed they want the city to take time to get it right.
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Alty was joined by councillors Ben Hendriksen, Tom McLennan, Stacie Arden-Smith, Steve Payne and Garett Cochrane in supporting the move.
The proposal will also require public consultation before any change is made.
Hendriksen suggested the discussion be part of a reconciliation gathering the city is planning this summer.
Franklin Avenue is named for Sir John Franklin, a British Royal Navy officer known for leading a failed expedition of the Northwest Passage.
“Let’s face it, Sir John Franklin was never here so it has no place within Yellowknife,” Arden-Smith said of the name.
“We are a capital city and we represent not just one but we represent many.”
Yellowknife street names have changed before. In 2010, the city renamed a portion of 50 Street to Angel Street as part of an initiative addressing family violence.
Separately on Monday, councillors discussed a request from the Yellowknives Dene First Nation to declare April 5 a half-day civic holiday for residents to enjoy the start of its spring carnival. The city had granted a half-day holiday for the event last year.
“Reconciliation takes many forms and participation in the carnival events put on by YKDFN is a terrific way to engage with our neighbours and friends in Dettah and Ndılǫ,” Bassi-Kellett said.
Councillors will hold first reading of that proposal at their next meeting on March 25.
