The bridge that now spans the Cataraqui River, commonly referred to as the third crossing, may have a name by the end of council’s next meeting this Tuesday.
Following a two-year consultation process to find a name that reflects and celebrates the stories and contributions of Indigenous communities in the region, a staff report recommends the bridge be called “Waaban Crossing.”
According to the report, Waaban, an Ojibway word, scored highest from a short list of six Indigenous names and has several meanings and interpretations related to where the sun rises in the east. Some of those meanings include the dawn of a new day or the morning light.
The consultation process involved 30 meetings with Indigenous community members, an open survey on name themes and surveys to rank the short list of names.
In total 942 people took part in the consultation process and this Tuesday council will decide if the third crossing will officially be known as the Waaban Crossing.