The Muskoka Area Indigenous Leadership Table is helping the District of Muskoka as it looks to find names, landmarks, and public spaces in Muskoka “that may be perceived as disrespectful or inappropriate.”
Julie Stevens, chief administrative officer for the district, says the aim of the “Names with Purpose” initiative is to ensure the names of the places in Muskoka reflect the community’s values of respect, diversity, and inclusion.
“Names with Purpose offers a unique opportunity for everyone to have a say in how we honour and acknowledge our history and diversity,” she says. “We need your feedback to help us identify names that may need a fresh perspective.”
She explains the district is doing an “in-depth internal review” of the existing naming landscape in Muskoka, which she says includes asking the community for ideas about places that should be renamed.
Submissions will be taken through the district’s website until July 31, 2024.
Muskoka Rd. 28 was renamed Kanien’kehá:ka Iohatátie, which translates to Mohawk People Rd., in Oct. 2023. The new name was chosen by Wahta Mohawk First Nation and marked the first time the district renamed one of its roads.