Dear Duncan mayor and council:
We sure agree with resident Sharon Jackson’s letter about a city council panel allegedly not listening to some citizens’ ideas about naming our remodelled park at Station and Craig streets.
Her letter appeared May 14, 2025 on the Citizen's website.
Ms. Jackson rightly asks why ideas for park names were requested (27 arrived, with 16 proposing a moniker saluting our late city mayor Mike Coleman) only for staff to determine naming our park after an individual is “inappropriate for this location,” states a Citizen story.
What is inappropriate?
Our park — getting an arguably unneeded $1.5-million renovation — is to be blandly named Friendship Square — Hiiye’yutul’.
This prominent little park is owned by taxpayers funding that work. We should be heard far better by council about naming sites, buildings, landmarks and more.
Sadly, we’ve seen this brand of political disregard before, only worse: our new Cowichan Secondary School; and our Aquannis Centre pool were named without broad public input.
Former Duncan councillor Jackson is right; there are plenty of notable locals deserving such a naming in their honour.
Yours in democracy
Peter W. Rusland
North Cowichan
