Iqalummiut to help where the street has no name

Committee wants residents to christen road to future Aqqusariaq recovery centre

It’s just a gravel road to a construction site now, but Iqaluit’s planning committee is turning to city residents to help name the road that will lead to Aqqusariq, Iqaluit’s new recovery centre. (Photo by Corey Larocque)

By Corey Larocque

The search is on to find a fitting name for Iqaluit’s newest street and city councillors plan to pick the brains of residents to christen the road where Nunavut’s new recovery centre is being built.

“The road needs a name,” planning director Mathew Dodds told members of the city’s planning committee during Tuesday’s meeting.

“It’s informally called Bonfire Road on Google,” he added.

The stretch of road in question runs north from the Road to Apex, a bit east of Arctic Winter Games arena, and will be about 300 metres long.

Dodds noted it’s an important one to name to set the right tone for the recovery centre and because someday it could be extended north to meet up with the Road to Nowhere as part of a future residential subdivision.

Government officials took part last August in a “tundra-turning” at the site of the future Aqqusariaq, an $83.7-million treatment and recovery centre for Nunavummiut dealing with substance abuse issues. Construction is expected to be completed by December 2025.

A staff report recommended members of the planning committee pick a name at Tuesday’s committee meeting. It provided a list of nearly two dozen possible names, including some recognized places, prominent family names in the community and public figures like Tagak Curley, Paul Okalik and Paul Quassa.

But Inuit elders on the committee, including councillors Harry Flaherty, Methusalah Kunuk and Simon Nattaq, said they wanted residents — especially elders — to be consulted on the name selection.

“Myself, I will not name any names,” Nattaq said in Inuktitut through an interpreter.

Eventually, all committee members voted in favour of polling the public, probably through a poll on the city’s Facebook page.

Committee chairperson Coun. Kim Smith said the suggestions committee members made could be part of a short list for the public to consider, but that the public consultation process should be open with an option for Iqalummiut to submit their own suggestions.

Some members were concerned they’d have to turn to the public every time a new road needs a name.

“We may need to do this 30 more times in the next seven years,” Coun. Kyle Sheppard said. “It’s not a viable process for every street name that’s going to happen.”

Sheppard suggested the city consult with the team that’s developing Aqqusariaq since it will be a main element of the neighbourhood. Its team had suggested half a dozen names to him, including Saagiatuq Road, after Nash Sagiatook, an elder who proposed the recovery centre’s name.

Coun. Amber Aglukark suggested the road be named after the late Seeglook Akeeagok, a respected elder who taught Inuit traditional skills and how to travel on the land.

Coun. Romeyn Stevenson echoed Sheppard, saying the city needs to “manage how big a deal it is to name one road.”

“We’ll always be naming a road,” Stevenson said.

He voted to ask the public, but said not to take too much time.

“Get it done kind of quickly would be the best thing,” he said.

There was no discussion about how quickly an online poll would be set up, how long people will have to vote on it, or when or how the winning name will be selected.

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(23) Comments:

  1. Posted by 867 on

    Surrarnaqtuq St

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    • Posted by MIGA!!! on

      867….looks like you will be heading over there when it opens. by the sounds of it…you need help

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  2. Posted by northerner on

    It will be referred by its building number anyways.

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  3. Posted by Maq-Pat on

    Aqqusariq St.

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  4. Posted by Name withheld on

    Boaty McBoatface

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    • Posted by SARCASM on

      Marty Mcfly Boulevard , sounds better

    • Posted by Reference Point on

      The Road The Recovery Centre is On Street.

  5. Posted by atinga – his/her name (or it’s name) on

    First of all, Aqqusariq doesn’t make any sense in the south baffin dialect at all. It’s either misspelled or a different dialect but it’s not recognizable. It should be corrected asap before the building is completed. Secondly, the road shouldn’t be after a person as many elders do not like buildings or landmarks after people, and if it is, should be after the people originally of this area. Thirdly, a few people who are suggested were contentious and not all were well known in this area. Public never hears the details about individuals…. You better be careful, he’s going to be under investigation for an assault he did which never got underway several years ago. The name that the road gets should be correctly spelled and, importantly the centre!

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  6. Posted by Northerner on

    John amagoalik drive

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  7. Posted by Sedluk (Bryan Pearson) Parkway on

    By the name of the person who took his dogs there everyday and nearly died one day in the cold out on that road or path when he first got here.

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  8. Posted by City on

    Roady McRoadface.

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    • Posted by Notso Simple on

      Roadesia Road

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  9. Posted by Steve Nattaq on

    The name should be “The Road to Somewhere”

    in honor of the road name “The Road to Nowhere”

    at least with the recovery center there. it would make sense that they’re going somewhere.

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  10. Posted by Bernie on

    Road to somewhere?

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  11. Posted by Resident of None of It on

    Atiqanngituq Street – Does not have a Name Street

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  12. Posted by Mit on

    I chose Trina Qaqqaq St. or Red Cap Rd.

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  13. Posted by Confused on

    Bono will know.

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  14. Posted by Bonfire Rd. on

    Already named, including on google maps

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  15. Posted by Remembering an elder on

    There was an elder who was blind and was Hudson’s Bay Company helper along with his son Eliya Pudluk. The blind elder was directing his son to follow direction to the sun when they got lost with their dog team. They got home and safe and being very thankful. Pudluk’s father was also a Pastor. He would hold on to my mother’s back with amauti so he can Preach an Anglican in Oh and Pauloosie’s Alainga’s sack in Iqaluit. Son and elder used to make a little bridge with the shovel by their hands so the people can cross river the to the store or to work. Their Qammag was almost exactly where Alice lives right now. Jamesie was a hard worker and some times Eliya was rabbit hunting along the road where the building will be. These were good old day’s in Apex and Igalumiut. Alway’s respect and love our old ways of life we had. I always been thankful of Jamesie and Eliya Pudluk. I think the new building should be that of Jamesie path way to good life.

  16. Posted by Maybe on

    Perhaps it could be named road to recovery in Inuktitut

    Just a thought

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  17. Posted by Confused on

    Bono?

  18. Posted by Qammaq on

    Ekusileni Road

  19. Posted by Qammaq on

    Sobriety Street

Comments are closed.