Lori and Paul Wyszynski are on the Dec. 20 agenda to voice opposition to changing the name of Swastika Trail.
In their request to be delegates to the Dec. 20 council meeting to be held in the Puslinch Community Centre, the Wyszynskis offered a number of documents which were included in council’s Dec. 6 agenda package.
The couple stated the documents were offered to provide council with “a thorough perspective of the situation.”
They wrote “A minority of home owners want the name changed because they feel offended by the connotation of the word swastika. They are finding it difficult to accept that we did a vote and the majority of the home owners didn’t find it offensive, because it was never originally named in hate.”
The Wyszynskis state opponents to the name went to a large Jewish organization B’nai Brith and turned this into a religious war.”
They add “It’s disappointing to watch the lengths (opponents) have gone to, to make our once quiet peaceful little trail, into a shameful place. Honestly, to see their close minded approach, makes them appear to be the ones that are hateful.”
“Swastika Trail was not named by any Hitler supporters and that is the fact that we are losing sight of. In fact the trail was named by Ross Barber in 1922, with the original intended meaning of the swastika.”
“If we felt for one second our street name was something of hate or racism we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.”
“In addition to our personal documents, we also have two businesses that would require address changes, along with the Articles of incorporation, business cheques, letter head, etc. This will be an expense for us in the thousands of dollars.”
“(We) feel this situation has been bullying at its best. Where is our voice, the voice of the people that are educated and know that swastika in this sense, is not related with hate? If you come on our trail, what you will see is people walking dogs, kids riding bikes and playing, flowers, cute homes, beautiful Christmas lights, kayaks gracefully gliding across the lake.”
“Honestly this has been blown up in such a surprising way. It’s our understanding that neither the township nor the homeowners who find the name offensive, have the authority to change the name of a privately owned road.”
