West Kelowna Naming Referendum

TheNameGame
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West Kelowna Naming Referendum

Post by TheNameGame »

As a current member of the Westside Naming Committee I wanted first off to extend an invitation to all members of this forum to submit name suggestions to the Committee for consideration.

I wanted to make you aware that name submission forms will be coming out next week in your Westside Weekly newspaper and are available at numerous commercial locations on the Westside, including the District offices in Westbank.

Names must be submitted on the official forms to qualify for consideration. The deadline for name submissions is August 22nd.

I would also invite you to post to this thread any questions, comments or feedback you may have regarding the selection of a new name for our municipality. I will be happy to consider all feedback given here and bring feedback that is relevant and constructive to the process back to the Committee for discussion.
Last edited by TheNameGame on Nov 17th, 2008, 2:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
TheNameGame
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Re: Westside Naming Committee

Post by TheNameGame »

I should also have added that, in addition to numerous commercial locations forms are also available at:

Westbank Lions Hall – 4 – 2466 Main St
Chamber of Commerce – #4-2375 Pamela Road
Mt. Boucherie Centre – 2760 Cameron Road

Please remember that this thread is intended for constructive, useful feedback and suggestions to help the Committee determine the names to ultimately be recommended for our community.

I realize that those posting are free to post whatever they wish but I'd like to ask, out of respect for the importance of the issue that those wishing to post jokes and humour please try to use some of the other name threads for that. It would really be helpful if the community members on this forum who wish to do so had an opportunity to use this thread for constructive input that can be considered directly by the Committee.

Thanks again.
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Re: Westside Naming Committee

Post by Triple 6 »

Ok, Folks, the op has requested only serious posts, and I agree. So please note; any off topic comments or silly suggestions will be deleted.

Thanks Trip
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Urbane
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Re: Westside Naming Committee

Post by Urbane »

I think this is terrific that the process is open and this forum is a good place for questions and suggestions. My first choice, at the moment, is something with "Okanagan" in it. Okanagan Landing and Okanagan Centre are already taken but something along those lines would be excellent. "Okanagan" is not divisive and it also gives immediate recognition, to most people, as to approximately where we're located. Would "Okanagan" alone work? Or "District of Okanagan" might do it. Just brainstorming . . .
TheNameGame
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Re: Westside Naming Committee

Post by TheNameGame »

I couldn't confirm this but I would think Okanagan alone would not work as it is already used. I think it would create confusion as well. New York, New York type of thing.

Though I will try to remain impartial on this thread, I do personally like the idea of a name that has relevance to our unique community.
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Re: Westside Naming Committee

Post by TheNameGame »

I would also add that I think this is an opportunity to create real unity on the Westside.

While I don't anticipate that it will ever be possible to please everyone, I do think there are ways to compromise our own personal opinions and agendas and come together to reach consensus on a name that, while maybe not everyone's first choice, can be a name the broad majority of the community can embrace and feel proud of.

I think this needs to be the goal.

Obviously, just through reading the various threads on this forum, there are strong opinions throughout the community regarding specific names but rather than simply see this as an opportunity to fight for the name you want, I think it serves us best to all be open-minded to coming up with a name that brings us all together and which the community at large feels good about.
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Urbane
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Re: Westside Naming Committee

Post by Urbane »

  • TheNameGame wrote:I couldn't confirm this but I would think Okanagan alone would not work as it is already used. I think it would create confusion as well. New York, New York type of thing.

    Though I will try to remain impartial on this thread, I do personally like the idea of a name that has relevance to our unique community.
You're probably right about "Okanagan" alone. Okanagan West is another idea but there may be some other word out there that would be just perfect to go along with Okanagan. I'm just thinking that even those who are stuck on Westbank or West Kelowna might, in the end, be quite accepting of something with Okanagan in it. And it's a great name.
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Re: Westside Naming Committee

Post by TheNameGame »

A name I intend to submit is West Shore. I like the word shore as it has direct relevance to the lake as opposed to Westside which leaves you asking"Westside of what?" and some may think it refers to the west side of Kelowna and not necessarily the west side of the lake.

I think it also has a tranquil sound to it which is consistent with the more laid back, rural feel of our community.
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Re: Westside Naming Committee

Post by occasional thoughts »

Just for the record, Westshore or Westshores is the name now given to and used extensively to describe Victoria's former and so-called "Western Communities" of Langford, Colwood and Metchosin.
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Re: Westside Naming Committee

Post by TheNameGame »

That said, I think the same argument could well be used for 'Westside' or even 'Westbank'. I would think there would be many regions known popularly as the Westside. I'm sure many areas on the west of a river, lake or even island would be known colloquially as the 'Westside'.

And 'Westbank', as we know, forces an immediate recall of the West Bank, to the east of Israel.

I think it would be virtually impossible, unless we were to contrive a completely new name like Kelowna, to come up with something not already used in some form, either officially or unofficially, somewhere.

Interestingly, did you know there is a city named Springfield in every US state? Little trivia for you. :)
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Re: Westside Naming Committee

Post by Bestside »

rturner wrote:Just for the record, Westshore or Westshores is the name now given to and used extensively to describe Victoria's former and so-called "Western Communities" of Langford, Colwood and Metchosin.
To add to the record Langford, Colwood and Metchosin are municipalities just like our Westside is a municipality.

These municipalities are promoting their location in a very smart way by emphasizing their proximity to the shores west of Victoria.

That promotion would be similar to our Westside, Peachland and Summerland going together to promote their location as Okanagan Lake's Westshore .

I am not sure why they would be Victoria's former communities anymore than "Westside" would be a former community of... say Kelowna. It does not seem to fit.

The City of Colwood Incorporated in 1985. The city is divided into residential pockets such as Triangle Mountain, Colwood Creek, Colwood Lake Estates, Wishart and Lagoon areas.

The City of Langford Incorporated in 1992, the District of Langford is divided into distinct areas such as Glen Lake, Happy Valley, Florence Lake, Langford proper, Thetis Heights and the Goldstream Area.

The District of Metchosin Incorporated in 1984 as a result of a perceived need to preserve the rural lifestyle.

These incorporated districts sound much like Westside with residential pockets that maintain their unique names. I think maintaining these unique names as distinct from the "New Name" is very important to people.

In most respects "West Shore" or "Westshore" alone is not any more defining than Westbank.

"Okanagan Westshore" could be more descriptive. I like "Westshore" ... I am just saying there can be logical arguments for excluding any name so the emphasize should be light on exclusions.

In respect to New York, New York... If "Okanagan, Okanagan" is like "New York, New York"... and would work half as well, then that should actually make the short list.
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Re: Westside Naming Committee

Post by TheNameGame »

Thanks Bestside.

I would debate you on the success of New York, New York. As a name only, I don't think that does work. It requires continual clarification. "I'm going to New York...". "You mean the city or the state?".

Nonetheless I agree with you about West Shore being more of an umbrella name for the area rather than a city or district name.

I also completely agree with your comments regarding areas within the city maintaining their distinct 'neighborhood' names and identities.

I think this is a point that many people need to consider. Whatever the new name becomes I don't see that changing these local names. I think Westbank will always be Westbank as Glenrosa, Lakeview Heights, etc... remain the same.

In the City of Kelowna for example there is Dilworth, the Mission, Glenmore, Rutland, etc... These areas remain named by neighbourhood and as such preserve their distinct identity. The Mission has a character and identity that is very different and distinct from, say, Glenmore or downtown.

I certainly see the same applying out here. Personally I would like to see a completely new, fresh name for our city in keeping with the new 'birth' of oiur municipality, with the districts within it maintaining their current names and heritage.
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Re: Westside Naming Committee

Post by occasional thoughts »

Just for the record, I lived, variously, in View Royal, Colwood and Metchosin between 1975 and 1979 before moving to Oak Bay where I lived until 1988. At the time, I was reporter and then editor of the new Goldstream Gazette, which circulated in View Royal, Langford, Colwood, Metchosin and Sooke. The first four (that is, other than Sooke) were unorganized electoral areas of the Capital Regional District (sound familiar?) and were commonly referred to as the Western Community or the Western Communities. They incorporated individually after I left, each taking the name of its precedessor unorganized community/regional electoral area, and Western Community or Communities went out of use. But that's how they were referred to collectively.
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Re: Westside Naming Committee

Post by occasional thoughts »

It occurs to me . . . much like Parliament declared (rightly or wrongly) Quebec was a people and a nation, last year I believe, maybe the renaming committee should recommend and/or our council should define and somehow formally name our constituent neighbourhoods, give them some form of quasi-legal status.
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Re: Westside Naming Committee

Post by TheNameGame »

I believe that may be beyond our jurisdiction as a Committee.

It may also be useful to point out to those posting on here (I know you know this Rob as I believe you were at the meeting yesterday) but the way the process will work is that the Committee will receive all submissions from the community and from those, and through a process now being developed, five names will be selected and recommended to Council for inclusion on the municipal election ballot in November.

Voters will select their choice or choices from the list when they go to vote for Mayor and Council. (The Committee is presently debating whether to recommend voters be given one choice from the five listed on the ballot or up to three choices from the five names listed).

Once the results of the November ballot are tallied, the results will be forwarded to the new Council who will be responsible for ultimately giving the preferred name approval.

Again, it's important to remember that the ballot in November will not be a referendum. In other words the result of the ballot will not be binding but act instead as an indication of the community's will and help guide the nerw Council in it's decision making process.

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