Municipal Naming Policy

The Town of Collingwood's Municipal Naming Program provides a process for naming municipal facilities, streets, bridges, parks, trails, structures, open spaces and other municipal assets. Residents may submit naming suggestions for consideration in accordance with the Municipal Naming Policy.

The Town of Collingwood is committed to a fair, consistent, and transparent process for naming, renaming, and commemorating municipal assets. The naming process recognizes local history, community contributions, cultural heritage, and geographic significance while ensuring names remain meaningful and appropriate for future generations.

What Can Be Named?

When naming, renaming, or dedicating a Municipal Asset, at least one principle must be applied:

Names should:

• Be unique and avoid duplication or confusion with existing names.
• Reflect Collingwood's uniqueness, history, heritage, geography, natural features, or community identity.
• Be easy to recognize and understand for residents and visitors.
• Support wayfinding and emergency response services.
• Be respectful and appropriate for public use.
• Avoid the re-use of former names of municipal facilities or assets.
• Be intended for long-term recognition, as renaming is generally discouraged.
• Avoid the use of hyphens, apostrophes or dashes, but may be considered on an individual basis. 

Please note: The Town generally discourages names that are offensive, discriminatory, political in nature, or likely to couse confusion.

Existing Names

Official names already assigned to municipal facilities, parks, trails, and public spaces will remain in place unless formally changed through Council decision and is in accordance with the Municipal Naming Procedure. No alternate, secondary, partial, honorary, or informal names will be assigned by the Town to existing municipal assets that already possess an official name.

Naming Sources

Names for municipal facilities, elements, parks, and trails shall be selected from the 
Municipal Names Registry. 

Where appropriate, names may be inspired by:

• Individuals, groups, or businesses that donated the property;
• Individuals, groups, or businesses that contributed financially to its development, enhancement, renovation; or
• Geographic features, landmarks, neighbourhoods, or adjacent roads

The Town maintains approved naming resources to support the consistent naming of streets, parks, facilities, trails, and other municipal assets.

Approved Street Names List (Schedule A)

The Approved Street Names List contains street names that have been reviewed and approved for future use in the Town of Collingwood.

View Approved Street Names

Municipal Names Registry (Schedule B)

The Municipal Names Registry contains approved names that may be considered for municipal facilities, parks, trails, and other municipal assets.

Renaming a municipal facility, park, trail, structure, or open space is generally discouraged and will only be considered in exceptional circumstances, such as:

•  Expiry of a financial donation or sponsorship;
• Relevance or meaning of the existing name has changed;
• Newly available historical information warrants a review;
• Functional or geographical changes (e.g., trail realignment, expansion, or consolidation);
• Strong community benefit or need.

All renaming requests must follow the full Municipal Naming Procedure and are subject 
to approval by the Municipal Naming Committee.

The Town will not consider naming requests that: 

• Seek to assign informal or honorary names without following the Municipal 
  Naming Procedure;
• Apply to portions of already-named municipal assets unless the Town has 
  established the area as a separate element; 
• Relate to retroactive naming of areas where long-standing informal names or 
  historic community references already exist; or 
• Offer no clear municipal or community benefit as required under the Naming 
  Principles. 

Exceptions

In keeping with its power set out in the Municipal Act, 2001, Council may assign a 
commemorative name by resolution, notwithstanding the provisions included in the 
Municipal Naming Policy.

Memorial Trees and Benches

The Town offers memorial tree and bench programs in designate parks and public spaces as a way to commemorate individuals, families, or organizations. Memorial trees and benches do not constitute the naming of a municipal asset. Installation, maintenance, and replacement are subject to Town guidelines, and all associated costs are the responsibility of the donor.