Following a series of community consultations, the Kingston City Council has unanimously approved a motion that would have the Third Crossing Bridge be officially named “Waaban Crossing,” (Wah-bin) which is an Ojibwe term that translates to dawn or morning light.
The name involved an extensive amount of consultations, including engagement with 942 community participants and included six in-depth meetings with Indigenous community members. Additionally, 725 residents completed surveys on the names and naming themes, and 188 students submitted feedback to guide the final name selection.
“Years from now, the Third Crossing won’t even really be the term that’s used. It will be the Waaban Bridge, ”says Major Bryan Paterson. The Mayor is encouraging all Kingstonians to use the new name.
The project which has a total cost of $180-million, is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. The bridge will connect the east side of Kingston with the main part of the city.
As the bridge will reduce traffic flow in the core of the city, the project has prompted Mayor Paterson to envision further projects for the city’s core, such as closing Ontario street traffic, making it a “walkable street.”
“Naming the bridge is an important symbolic action that recognizes and honors Indigenous history,” says Jennifer Campbell, director of Heritage Services.
The bridge will continue to be named the Third Crossing until a naming ceremony has taken place.