Businesses along Dewdney Street are divided on whether it's a good idea to change the street name, as two Regina city councillors have suggested. (980 CJME file photo)
As Regina city councillors notified them they want to discuss renaming Dewdney Street at their next meeting, some business owners along the street have their eye on the idea.
At Wednesday's city council meeting, council members Andrew Stevens and Dan LeBlanc presented a notice of motion to rename Dewdney Avenue.
They argue that because Edgar Dewdney was involved in the development of boarding schools, he should not receive the honor that bears his name.
Those most affected by this change are those who live and work on the streets.
When asked Wednesday, some business owners opposed the idea.
“I think the businesses especially in Dewdney should stay the way they are. They've basically been on the corner of Winnipeg and what's known as Dewdney for 40 years, actually 45 years,” Terry Potter said.
He said it didn't make sense for him to make the changes and feared it would cause confusion.
“I don't think anyone who knew Dewdney Avenue knew that this guy was part of a boarding school,” he says.
Les Lemaire agreed that the name should remain the same.
“It's always been Dewdney. Everybody knows Dewdney,” he said.
Lemaire said his business will have to make a number of changes if the street changes, including where its address is listed.
When asked what he thought about the reason for this change, Lemaire said he didn't know much about it.
“Things have happened and they may not have been good, but you can't change history, you can only change the future,” he said.
Other business owners agreed with the move.
“Given the background behind the name, I think it's the right thing to do to change it,” Phong Ly said.
He said Dewdney businesses would be affected if the changes were made.
“But with today's technology and business practices, we can mitigate that risk very quickly,” Lee explained.
The movement to rename the street has been going on for years, with campaigns dating back to at least 2018.
The City of Regina has already removed Dewdney from some city works in 2021, including parks and pools, and renamed it Buffalo Meadows.
