SYDNEY, N.S. — The Sydney street formerly known as Cornwallis is getting a new name.
As of Sept. 29, the Ashby neighbourhood road will be called Legacy Street.
The name has the endorsement of Membertou Chief Terry Paul who said the new name is a fitting tribute to the history and legacies of the many notable Cape Bretoners who have contributed positively to Unama’ki (Cape Breton Island) over the years.
“The renaming of Legacy Street serves as a reminder that we can come together to heal hurtful memories of the past, and ensure they do not go with us into the future,” Paul said in a written statement issued Thursday.
“Cornwallis’ action against the Mi’kmaq were unacceptable. From today forward, our people will no longer have to drive past the street that bears the name of an undeserving man. We can feel supported in knowing that our voices have been heard and respected.”
The residential street became the centre of attention earlier this summer when Mi’kmaq elder Danny Paul publicly vowed that the old Cornwallis signs would come down one way or another. On June 22, he showed up at a street corner up with tools in hand ready to remove the signs. However, after consulting with a high-ranking Cape Breton Regional Police officer, he opted to give the Cape Breton Regional Municipality a few days to do address the issue. The signs were taken down the next day.
When asked whether he approved of the new name, Danny Paul said “it’s OK."
Opposition to the name Cornwallis has been growing recently and there has been widespread support to remove public references to the 18th-century British general, Nova Scotia governor and Halifax founder, who was also known to have offered bounties for the scalps of the Mi’kmaq people he wanted gone from the colony.
In Halifax, the recent public outcry against Cornwallis has already led to the removal of a downtown statue and the renaming of a school. And the federal government has announced that the Canadian Coast Guard ship Edward Cornwallis will also be renamed.
The renaming of the former Cornwallis Street began with the municipality polling street residents and property owners for suggestions. A short list was then established and the names went back to the stakeholders who voted for their name of choice.
The name Legacy was then randomly selected in a draw that included the three street names with the most votes.
Other suggestions included Reconciliation Way, Justice Street, Goodwill Avenue, Family Drive, Gaelic Road, Freedom, Rita MacNeil, Jingle Bell Way and Maverick Street.
