Westside Naming Referendum

[occasional thoughts]

Yes, Ms. hereiamagain, the dog and the quote are v.f.

[Jo]

Back on topic please.

[cantnotar]

Does anyone know where Duvernay is? Not many! If you asked anyone anywhere if they knew where Okanagan Hills, Ponderosa or Lake Okanagan were, they would ALL say no. At least SOME of the polled knew where Westbank was!! It's been Westbank for 100 years and no-one knew where it was, so how long will it take before any new name will be recognized, or even put on a map!!

[fairweather]

Maybe we should be called West Kelowna, d'ya think?

[brightstar]

Does anyone know where Duvernay is? Not many! If you asked anyone anywhere if they knew where Okanagan Hills, Ponderosa or Lake Okanagan were, they would ALL say no.....so how long will it take before any new name will be recognized, or even put on a map!!

Exactly the point!! Thank you for stating the obvious....the name West Kelowna will be very recognizable and the name Kelowna is already on the map!

[the_zipper]

I think any name change no matter what it is may cause confusion. I meet my sister in law and her family for the first time two years ago. They lived in Ontario and neither one of us had the means to travel to each other province to visit. Two years ago they move to Lethbridge. After many years of sending letter and birthday cards etc. she knows we live in Westbank. She came out to visit us at our home last year. If a name change had happened at that time, I think she have may have been confused at seeing West Kelowna signage. Considering that a map would say Westbank and so have our letters over the years.(I'm sure it wouldn't be a huge deal, she would have probably figure it out) I haven't heard any big problems with confusion from Lake country residences. I'm curious to know if they have had any problems when they changed their name.

[fairweather]

The confusion argument always makes me wonder about people's reasoning skills.

[angusog]

The confusion argument always makes me wonder about people's reasoning skills.

Re: Westside Naming Committee
by fairweather on Oct 11th, 2008, 9:34 am
Some people will just remain confused - no matter what.

Re: Westside Naming Committee
by fairweather on Oct 12th, 2008, 8:43 pm
How are 3 questions more confusing than 2? Confusing for whom?

We know what you mean fairweather!

[steren]

Yes, there is confusion in LakeCountry. People who move into tne area know it as Lake Country--change everything to Lake Country only to find out that the addresses have remained the same (Oyama, Windfield etc.) Rick Ould from Canada Post has told me about the problems and so have people who live there. I suppose if you are a long time resident it's easy to understand--but not for newcomers and visitors.It would even be more confusing in this area because of how the WFN is inter mingled within the boundries of our municipality and they are keeping the name Westbank. If the name becomes West Kelowna, the only area that will actually be named West Kelowna will be the corridor along Hwy. 97 through the Industrial area from Friends Pub to Daimler Rd.---especially if we retain the neighbourhood names (Lakeview Heights, Rose Valley Estates, Casa Loma, West Kelowna Estates, Westbank etc.) If we choose the name Westbank, we have continuity all the way throughout the entire area while still using the neighbourhood names. In my opinon it is logical and will make more sense to go with a name that is used for probably over 70 % of the area already.

[lakeviewgirl]

If it keeps us from be calling Westbank, I would like to keep the name Westside. Otherwise, I would like West Kelowna. Okanagan Hills has a nice ring as well.

[steren]

If it keeps us from be calling Westbank, I would like to keep the name Westside. Otherwise, I would like West Kelowna. Okanagan Hills has a nice ring as well.

I think the name Westbank is here to stay no matter what our new municipality is called. How would you propose to distinguish between the different areas. I would say at least 70% is still going to be known as Westbank because of the WFN land known as Westbank and then all of area H --called Westbank. As I said--the only area that will really change is the corridor along highway 97 between Friends Pub and Daimler Rd. How confusing is that going to be. I would appreciate another opinion on this---how is it going to work, especially if the neighbourhoods keep their own names. The only area not recognized by a neighbourhood name is the small industial area that I mentioned--so in actual fact that is the only new name area. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[lakeviewgirl]

I do agree with you Steren. Westbank is just another subdivison, as is Lakeview Heights, Glenrosa, Casa Loma, etc. Everyone will still keep their sub names, however, when you see our municipal name on a map, or on our bills, or whatnot, I don't want to see Westbank. Westbank is a subdivison, not the entire Westside as a whole. This is why I believe we should not have Westbank as our town name. Okanagan Hills is nice because it's not saying we are part of Kelowna..which many people living in Westbank don't like, but it's also not saying we are living in Westbank..which would make many people in North Westside happy.

[steren]

Yes--after 100 years we have been demoted to just another neighbourhood--Wow!! Still--Lakeviewgirl--as I said 70% will still be called Westbank no matter what! I don't think that even our bills etc will arrive with the new name on them. From what I understand--nothing will change--not even our addresses---which makes me wonder about how the new municipality's name will be implimented because half of the area has Kelowna B.C. on their incoming mail. We have been told that our addresses will stay the same in all areas--we do not need to change our letterheads, our cheques, our addresses etc. So please anyone that can clear up this question--please let us know. I would still like imput as to how the area will be known with a totally new name if we all keep our current neighbourhood names. I'm sure the defined Westbank area will not have a problem but I'm thinking the new name area will --especially if only the industrial area will be known by the actual new name--please--how will that be an asset and will all of this be really confusing to visitors and people moving here---and I think we still will have thousands more moving here. We have a big developement pending for the Crystal Mt. area--will they be part of the new municipality and if so will they have the name Westbank as their address?? There are many questions to be answered --and I have not heard an explanation for any of the above questions.

[Fancy]

Wouldn't this be addressed by our City Council? I would think, if the name is changed, that the Letters Patent would be finalized and then it would be up to our council to approach Canada Post and other various agencies to have the community name changed appropriately. Just a thought.

[steren]

I would suppose that would happen too--but according to what we have heard from The Naming Committee chair--there will be no address change. We will not have to change our letterheads etc. This is what has happened in Lake Country--there was no blanket change of addresses and that is what is causing the confusion with newcomers to the valley. It is known as Lake Country but the Windfield and Oyama etc. addresses are the only ones accepted on passports, drivers liciences etc. Pretty confusing!!! How will it play out here if our addresses do not change--will we still have half of the area keeping Kelowna, B.C. as their addresses and people still thinking they are a part of Kelowna. Will the newcomers still think they are a part of Kelowna with a name like West Kelowna. Kelowna does have East Kelowna as a neighbourhood--where would West Kelowna be??? If I were a visitor or a newcomer to the area --with the signs--Welcome to Westbank First Nations at the north part of our municipality as you come up bridge hill and Welcome to Westbank at the south end where would I think West Kelowna would be--somewhere in the middle--I don't think so ???