Cost of name changes would be prohibitive

By Letter to the Editor on June 10, 2021.

Editor:
It is my belief that the special interest groups within our city are passing their own agendas onto the citizens of Lethbridge through the media with total disregard of how their “wants” will be funded or how they will affect the greater population.
Such is the case of Ms. Digout requesting that the name of a long-standing municipal park and westside neighbourhood be changed because, as she has stated through the media “the term Indian is outdated.”
The term “Indigenous “or “First Nations” has been recognized for several years and however just now she comes forward with her claim.
It is no surprise that her revelation follows the grieving of our country after bodies of 215 Indigenous children were found in the back of a residential school in Kamloops B.C.
It is also no surprise that her revelation is being brought forward during a municipal election year.
The costs to taxpayers to implement the changes she is requesting are prohibitive given the huge deficits our city and province is experiencing at this time.
Also, let’s not forget the stress that such a change to one’s address in the affected neighbourhood will cause to the homeowners after all these years.
Should Ms. Digout’s request be considered by city council (I would be surprised if it gets this far), I feel that it should be the citizens of Lethbridge that select the names of the affected park and neighbourhood and not the special interest groups, moving forward.
Kent Perry
Lethbridge