Waaban Crossing officially chosen as name for new Kingston, Ont. bridge

After nearly two years, the Third Crossing bridge in Kingston, Ont., has found its new name.

With a unanimous vote at council, the bridge will be called the Waaban (Wah-bin) Crossing.

Waaban is an Ojibwe term meaning dawn or morning light.

“It’s relatively easy to pronounce, which I think is important, because I really do want to encourage all Kingstonians to use this name,” says Mayor Bryan Paterson.

“Years from now, the Third Crossing won’t even really be the term that’s used. It will be the Waaban Bridge.”

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The naming process began in July 2020, and council said they were committed to naming the bridge in a way that ‘reflects and celebrates the stories and contributions of Indigenous communities in this region, both past and present.

The city held six meetings with Indigenous community members, while 725 residents and 188 students completed surveys on names and provided feedback.

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“Naming the bridge is an important symbolic action that recognizes and honours Indigenous history,” says Jennifer Campbell, director of Heritage Services.

“It also allows us to continually work on substantive and systemic actions alongside it. So it’s not just naming a bridge.”

The city says until there is an official naming ceremony, the project will still be called the Third Crossing bridge.

The bridge aims to connect the east side of Kingston with the central part of the city, spanning the Cataraqui River at John Counter Boulevard and Gore Road.

The $180-million project is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.