KENILWORTH – Council’s open forum on Oct. 7 took a look at the potential of changing road names within the township.
Wellington North Mayor Andy Lennox asked whether council considered this an issue it needed to deal with.
He said Wellington County is seeking to update its green civic address signs to include both civic address number and road names.
An example of similarities in Wellington North includes the following: Highway 6, Wellington Road 6, Concession 6 S., Concession 6 N., Sideroad 6, Line 6 and 6th Line, he said.
“I certainly recognize that changing road names is not as simple as it sounds,” Lennox added.
Wellington North Fire Chief Dave Guilbault said there have been few incidents in the township as a result of similar road names.
He stated that “in over 2,000 fire calls in the past five years in Wellington North, only about a half dozen responses were impacted.”
For some the issue is change itself, “where someone’s property has been the same for generations – the change usually doesn’t go over that well,” he said.
Guilbault noted another issue for council to consider is the impact changing the road names would have on the navigation system in cars, Google Maps or maps such as the Wellington County map and the common operating picture used by emergency services would need to be changed.
“A lot of work … would have to go into this – for travel apps alone throughout Ontario would need to be changed,” he said.
But for residents, Lennox said changing the road names requires the change of all personal documentation.
Councillor Sherry Burke said from the fire chief’s comments, it does not appear to be a huge issue, Burke said.
She added “current technology we have such as GPS and Google Maps can pinpoint locations quickly.”
Councillor Dan Yake added “after 20 years of amalgamation with the numbering system we have, I think in hearing some of the statistics, this might be just opening a can of worms.”
Yake said this might be a higher priority had the request came from local emergency providers.
“After 20 years, we should just let sleeping dogs lie,” he said.
Councillor Lisa Hern asked if there were any concerns as a result of properties that do not have civic numbers.
Lennox said he was aware of unoccupied properties that do not have emergency numbers.
Clerk Karren Wallace stated the township is working to address that issue.
She noted civic address numbers are required if anything is to be done with the property – from burn to demolition permits.
“We are not catching all of them, but there are a few,” she said.
Lennox said Dufferin County has a six-digit numbering system based on geography to avoid duplicate numbers.
He noted Mapleton Township had requested signage including the number and road name.
Council had no objection to that approach.
Lennox quipped “perhaps the mayor should pick a more lively topic for the next open forum.”
