Amalgamation

[panamaniac]

Or we make everyone happy and just have KW or KWC.

KW without the C would be a nice outcome ...

[bravado]

I say we make Kitchener and Waterloo equally angry and just commit to “Cambridge”. I am a master negotiator.

[ijmorlan]

If we ever amalgamate we better just become Kitchener. No way I'm saying I'm from Waterloo!

You’re already from the Region of Waterloo.

[Rainrider22]

I not saying from Waterloo either. Kitchener or Berlin. I have always thought we should go back to Berlin

[neonjoe]

My preferred name would just be City of Grand River

[nms]

The area was the Township of Waterloo in 1816. Berlin wasn't formally named until 1833. If any formal renaming should happen, perhaps asking the Indigenous community what they named the area would be a good start? Or we could just go for "Six Nations North" and be done with it.

I think the fact that we have never seen the previous report on amalgamation in Waterloo Region is because it didn't match the political premise. That is, the report likely said that the municipal governments within Waterloo Region generally run well and that amalgamating any further would not have any noticeable benefit and may actually be a detriment. Since that didn't fit Doug Ford's playbook, it was shelved.

[tomh009]

City of Kitchener-Waterloo seems easy to me ...

[SF22]

The area was the Township of Waterloo in 1816.  Berlin wasn't formally named until 1833.  If any formal renaming should happen, perhaps asking the Indigenous community what they named the area would be a good start?  Or we could just go for "Six Nations North" and be done with it.

I think the fact that we have never seen the previous report on amalgamation in Waterloo Region is because it didn't match the political premise.  That is, the report likely said that the municipal governments within Waterloo Region generally run well and that amalgamating any further would not have any noticeable benefit and may actually be a detriment.  Since that didn't fit Doug Ford's playbook, it was shelved.

There has been a push to rename Victoria Park to Willow River Park, as the indigenous name for the Grand is the Willow River. I would definitely not be opposed to being from Willow River, Ontario.

I would definitely NOT be in favour of shortening to simply KW.

[panamaniac]

The area was the Township of Waterloo in 1816.  Berlin wasn't formally named until 1833.  If any formal renaming should happen, perhaps asking the Indigenous community what they named the area would be a good start?  Or we could just go for "Six Nations North" and be done with it.

I think the fact that we have never seen the previous report on amalgamation in Waterloo Region is because it didn't match the political premise.  That is, the report likely said that the municipal governments within Waterloo Region generally run well and that amalgamating any further would not have any noticeable benefit and may actually be a detriment.  Since that didn't fit Doug Ford's playbook, it was shelved.

There has been a push to rename Victoria Park to Willow River Park, as the indigenous name for the Grand is the Willow River. I would definitely not be opposed to being from Willow River, Ontario.

I would definitely NOT be in favour of shortening to simply KW.

Push by whom?  The park's name should be retained, as should the statue.

[SF22]

There has been a push to rename Victoria Park to Willow River Park, as the indigenous name for the Grand is the Willow River. I would definitely not be opposed to being from Willow River, Ontario.

I would definitely NOT be in favour of shortening to simply KW.

Push by whom?  The park's name should be retained, as should the statue.

This has been an ongoing conversation for over a year. The push is coming from local indigenous community groups: https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/community-g...-1.5957951

Other local groups have put their support behind it, such as KW Famous with these t-shirts: https://kwfamous.com/products/willow-river-park-shirt

You'll often find that CBC Kitchener will write articles about Victoria Park, and then say something like "also called Willow River Park" now.

[danbrotherston]

There has been a push to rename Victoria Park to Willow River Park, as the indigenous name for the Grand is the Willow River. I would definitely not be opposed to being from Willow River, Ontario.

I would definitely NOT be in favour of shortening to simply KW.

Push by whom?  The park's name should be retained, as should the statue.

A tip...

For statements like this, and by that I mean, controversial statements where there are mixed opinions, and I know even if you are unaware of the renaming ask, I KNOW you are aware of the statue removal ask is controversial.

Make the statement an active personal statement "I feel the park's name should be retained"...even better, justify WHY this is, so that we understand your motivations "...because this is the name I've always known it by, and to me it's an important part of our city's heritage".

It leads to far more positive conversations. Statements like yours imply an authority and tend to shut down conversation and generate defensive angry responses (whether by design or accident doesn't matter).

I'll admit that's how I reacted to your statement, but I felt a vaguely patronizing but nonetheless helpful suggestion might be a more constructive response here. This is true in general on social media, but given that this is a relatively safe space, where I hope we can have constructive conversations, rather than the reactionary angry diatribe found on most of the social internet.

[tomh009]

Make the statement an active personal statement "I feel the park's name should be retained"...even better, justify WHY this is, so that we understand your motivations "...because this is the name I've always known it by, and to me it's an important part of our city's heritage".

And similarly "I think that the park's name should be changed because ..." or "... some groups are requesting that the park's name be changed ...".

In general, there does not appear to be any (significant) active discussion about the park's name. (As an aside, if we want a Willow River Park, I personally think it should be next to the river, and that's not where this particular park is located at all.)

[danbrotherston]

Make the statement an active personal statement "I feel the park's name should be retained"...even better, justify WHY this is, so that we understand your motivations "...because this is the name I've always known it by, and to me it's an important part of our city's heritage".

And similarly "I think that the park's name should be changed because ..." or "... some groups are requesting that the park's name be changed ...".

In general, there does not appear to be any (significant) active discussion about the park's name. (As an aside, if we want a Willow River Park, I personally think it should be next to the river, and that's not where this particular park is located at all.)

Actually, I don't think it's "similarly"...

SF22 didn't make an authoritative sounding statement, they simply stated that there exists a push to change the name but didn't name the group explicitly. I don't believe that is the same thing, panamaniac is right to ask "by whom" but failing to name the group does not cloak the statement in any kind of false legitimacy and as far as I know SF22 is not the entirety of the group making the push.

As for how big the push is...I've seen it in a few places online, and CBC seems to be reflecting that, but I have no idea how reflective that is of the indigenous community in Kitchener, so I cannot say, but I'm inclined to trust CBC choice to use the name as showing that this request has broad enough support in the indigenous community.

I do personally agree...I find it odd to name the park after a river several miles away. That being said, I'm not inclined to disagree with the indigenous community on this...that's a name they're (presumably) choosing, and I've little standing to disagree with that.

I'd also point out that it is entirely reasonable for a place to have more than one name.

[neonjoe]

The provincial committee is in town today to discuss our local governance.

https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/to-amalgama...-1.6731669

[panamaniac]

We're from the government and we're here to help ...