A city staff-recommended name of "Pickler Court" for the cul-de-sac connecting the Columbia Park tennis and pickleball courts to Colbeck Road was enthusiastically considered by Revelstoke City Council on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
The developer-proposed name "Lacken Lane" for a small stretch of Big Eddy land off Tum Tum Road, however, didn't seem to win councillors' hearts the same.
"It seems like it's a clear violation of council policy," Coun. Tim Palmer said.
He explained that "the 'Lacken' is really lackin' that kind of connection" in terms of ties to cultural significance for local communities, compared to names concerning Revelstoke's history, native plant species or winter sports.
Coun. Lee Devlin added that, while he doesn't see "Lacken Lane" as a "terrible name," he supports Palmer's sentiment and would look forward to a "more robust discussion about it."
Unlike "Lacken Lane," "Pickler Court" drew praise from Palmer and Mayor Gary Sulz, particularly for its "playful" nature.
Still, council voted to send both street names to Revelstoke's Heritage Advisory and Advisory Planning commissions for further discussion, with only Coun. Matt Cherry opposing this for "Pickler Court." Devlin jumped in to encourage council to take a consistent and fair approach to reviewing both names, regardless of opinion about their local significance, which Palmer had also suggested.
Staff's road naming application calls "Pickler Court" a fun title that carries the spirit of Columbia Park's recently updated pickleball courts.
As for "Lacken Lane," "the name was chosen by the proponent after Lacken Strand, a sheltered inlet in Ireland known for its sandy beaches," the developer application reads. "Lacken Strand is not a local geographic feature, but it has personal significance for the proponent. They chose the name because the sandy soils on site reminded them of the landscape at Lacken Strand."
Palmer, revealing his partial Irish heritage, deemed "Lacken Lane" an "irrelevant" name, saying he sees no direct connection between this "remote location in Ireland" and local heritage.
"My sense is that somehow we got off track from the policy," he later told Black Press Media, referring to both "Pickler Court" and "Lacken Lane."
That said, Palmer emphasized that "this policy is dated," characteristic of the 1970s and '80s subdivision naming protocol, and absent of Indigenous land recognition. For example, the December 2000 policy, amended in 2007 and 2009, directs that street names "should be linked through a common theme within a particular neighbourhood," and mentions best practice for naming streets after "local pioneers."
"I'm looking forward to seeing what the heritage and APC commissions do with it," Palmer said, adding at council, "I think we need to really consider our policy and make sure that we're following those policies, or amend those policies if they're not appropriate."
